


The End (Part Two)

by TheAwkwardStar



Series: Sora-Xehanort Saga [10]
Category: Kingdom Hearts
Genre: Brave, Game: Kingdom Hearts III, Gen, Not Canon Compliant, Post-Kingdom Hearts Dream Drop Distance, Treasure Planet - Freeform, coco - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-01
Updated: 2018-04-01
Packaged: 2019-04-05 04:39:28
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 34,282
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14036349
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheAwkwardStar/pseuds/TheAwkwardStar
Summary: Don't assume your dreams are just fantasy. If you can imagine a world, believe in it...and dive in.~Tetsuya Nomura, "Kingdom Hearts III".





	The End (Part Two)

_......_

_...Get up._

His sleep was disturbed. He moved his head, fingers twitching.

_....You have to get up._

He let out a soft groan. It was cold.

_....They need you._

His eyes, as clear as the deep blue sea, opened.

_...When you are ready....go to them._

The boy sat up, confused. His mind was empty, yet he felt a strange weight in his chest. The beats moved to the rhythm of his breathing, rising and falling. He looked down to see a key in his hand.

...That is what it was. Right?

_...Remember. Observe. Learn. That is all you need to know for now._

_...Good luck._

"Incredible. Simply incredible."

He looked to the right, where the source of the voice was coming from. An old man was staring right back at him from behind a thick glass window, surrounded by other people he didn't recognize.

...Except for the other boy.

His head hurt when he looked at the familiar boy. He was frowning at him, with signs of pure exhaustion written all over his face.

**"...His eyes are blue."**

"That will change, in time. He will make a valuable asset to The Organization."

Sora grunted, averting his eyes from the boy who wouldn't stop staring at him. Xehanort chuckled.

"...Sora. Xemnas. You have truly outdone yourselves. Recreating a body from a fragmented heart, purely out of data and remains of empty shells....this Frankenstein of a puppet still retains a form similar to that of my first pupil."

"...Do not be upset, boy." Xehanort placed his hand on Sora's shoulder. "You are still important. More important than you think."

"...You should attempt getting along with him. Try teaching him something. See if he still remembers you or anything else. He is a part of you, after all."

Sora scoffed, nudging Xehanort's arm off of him. He headed for the exit of the laboratory and slammed the door behind him.

**_"I told you he wouldn't like your stupid idea."_ **

Xehanort glanced back at the the boy he decided to restore. Mainly out of pity. The boy's helmet gleamed under the artifical light of the lab.

"You are still on thin ice, _Vanitas."_ Xehanort approached, looming above him.

_"Do not make me regret bringing you back."_

Vanitas shrugged.

**_"I didn't ask to be brought back. I preferred being dead."_ **

Xehanort raised his hand to strike Vanitas, then suddenly stopped himself. Vanitas didn't flinch, looking up at his Master defiantly. Xehanort placed his hand on his face, rubbing his forehead.

"...Just get out of my sight." Xehanort pointed to the exit. Vanitas left without another word.

"Xehanort."

He turned his head towards Xemnas.

"If Sora is still unwilling...I shall teach him." Xemnas glanced at the boy, who was scanning his surroundings warily.

"...He is in need of a name." Xemnas rubbed his chin.

"I shall leave it to you to decide that." Xehanort walked past Xemnas and left, leaving only Braig, Isa, and Young Xehanort in the room.

Braig patted Xemnas' shoulder, chuckling. "...So, what's your project's name gonna be? I'm dying to know!"

Xemnas smiled a little.

"...Roxas. A suitable name for one who used to be a Nobody."

\-----------

_Entry 001: Remembering._

Much to everyone's surprise, Sora agreed to teach Roxas a few things. But his limit was three days. He would leave the rest to Xemnas. He could only tolerate being around the boy for so long. No one could tell if Sora loathed Roxas, feared him, or simply didn't care enough to bother teaching him more. But Roxas dealt with it, rarely speaking at all even when he was addressed.

Roxas was confined to the room he had awoken in. The others were not around, forcing him to be completely alone with Sora. Sora didn't seem too happy about it, either. It was the only thing they had in common.

Roxas was too afraid to move further from the gurney he slept on. He wasn't sure why. One of the reasons had to be the way Sora glared at him when he moved even an inch. If looks could kill...Roxas would've died more than ten times already.

**"...Ok. Summon your Keyblade."**

Roxas complied with the order. Sora grimaced as he recognized the Keyblade in his hands. Oathkeeper.

 **"...No. That won't do at all."** He extended his hand towards Roxas.

**"Hand it over."**

Roxas hesitated. Sora pulled out his own keyblade, swinging it directly at Roxas' face. He closed his eyes, expecting it to hurt. But nothing happened. He opened one eye and saw that Sora had turned it around, the handle to his keyblade facing Roxas. He nervously set Oathkeeper down on the gurney.

**"....In your hand, take this key. And so long as you have the makings, then through this simple act of taking, its wielder you shall one day be made."**

Roxas took a deep breath. He cautiously reached out to the darker keyblade. The second he touched it, the two boys cried out as it shocked them both. Sora's keyblade had rejected him. Roxas' eyes were closed tightly as he rubbed his hands from the terrible feeling he experienced. He never wanted to feel that again. He opened his eyes and noticed that Sora had backed away considerably, clutching one of his trembling arms with an agonized expression on his face. Sora choked back a scream as the pain started ebbing away. His sleeve lowered a little as his lifted his arm up. Roxas' eyes widened in horror.

Sora's arms were covered in tendrils of darkness. It was coursing through his veins. Roxas got off the gurney and approached Sora, who was bent over and too distracted to notice him. Maybe...Sora was only being harsh and grumpy because he needed some healing magic. He wasn't quite sure how he knew that, but it just came to him. Roxas just barely laid a finger on his arm before Sora quickly reacted, grabbing Roxas' wrist tightly. He slowly started to twist it. Roxas tried to free himself, but Sora's grip was like iron and wouldn't budge.

**"Lesson Number One: Do not. Touch me. Under any circumstances. Unless you _want_ me to break more than your hand."**

Sora released him. Roxas gritted his teeth as he held onto his wrist. He hadn't broken it, but it did feel sprained. Roxas muttered something in a quiet tone.

**"What was that?"**

Roxas looked at him, completely serious.

"...That's not...really a lesson. It's just a threat..."

Sora pressed his keyblade against Roxas' neck. He was losing his patience rapidly.

 **"...Fine, then. How about this. Lesson Number Two: Don't talk back to your superiors. I'm not the only one who would do this."** Sora lightly jabbed Roxas' neck. **"I'm positive the others would strike you down on the spot. I'm not doing it because, wellll...."** Sora looked up thoughtfully, lowering his keyblade. It was the least aggressive emotion Roxas had seen from him.

**"It would be a waste of resources. Which we used plenty of to make you."**

"...So...you all need me." Roxas stared at the ground.

Sora shrugged. **"Believe what you want. I don't care."**

Sora headed for the exit to the room. Roxas rubbed the side of his head, squinting his eyes.

"...Naminé."

Sora stopped.

**"...What...did you say?"**

"...Naminé," Roxas repeated. "...I knew her. Didn't I?"

Sora smirked, breathing in sharply.

**"...Maybe you did."**

Sora locked the door behind him and laid on it. He ran his fingers through his hair, then slid down to the ground. He picked something out of his pocket. The lucky charm he had supposedly broken in the sleeping World That Never Was, still intact. He wondered why he hadn't bothered breaking the real one yet. Could he really not bring himself to do it...?

**"...Weak. Should've...expected it from me..."**

Sora buried his head into his knees as he crouched on the ground. He didn't know for how long he was there, but he also wasn't surprised that no one came looking for him.

He was always alone. Maybe it was better that way.

Roxas felt a similar loneliness, trapped inside a room he couldn't escape from. Even with a heart, he felt a gnawing emptiness inside it. Like something was missing.

Friends. Was that what it was? Was that what he was missing?

...Did he...even have any?

Roxas shut his eyes and rubbed his head as static filled his thoughts. He couldn't stop thinking about that name. Naminé. Who was she?

An image popped into his head. A blonde-haired girl, about his age. She smiled, holding a notebook behind her back.

_"...Roxas. You'll be ok. Just hold out a little longer."_

_"You'll get stronger. When you do, you can set out and see your friends. I...probably won't be there...but I'll support you in spirit."_

_"...Oh...and say hi to Riku and Kairi for me. Don't forget. Promise?"_

Roxas opened his eyes. She was gone. And in that instant, everything came flooding back to him.

_The tower. Naminé. The replica. Axel. Learning to feel, even without a heart. Ice Cream? He wasn't sure about the flavor. It was light blue._

_~~I remember what it felt like to **d i e**~~ _

_His journal. Naminé gave it to him. His desire to meet Sora._

~~_But he killed **m e ?**_ ~~

_Hurting. Hurting until he gave into the darkness. He felt powerful. **Unstoppable.** Sora deserved to know about it too._

_~~He deserved to hurt and be **PUNIS H E D**~~ _

_~~Why did a freak like HIM get to exist? Why him? Why why **w h y**~~ _

_Wasn't Roxas the stronger one? Without a heart, he wouldn't feel remorse. He wouldn't hurt as much as Sora could._

_~~I should be the one who exists. Not him. Never him. I'm better. Better in every way. Sora is nothing. Nothing. **Nothing at al l.....**~~ _

Roxas felt a hand touch his shoulder. He felt a droplet of a tear fall on his cheek.

_"No, Roxas. Don't think like that. I know that you're angry...but it will only blind you."_

_"...Follow the light. Use it to help him. Don't get lost, like he is..."_

Roxas sniffed, rubbing his eyes as tears streamed down his face.

"...Naminé...I'm sorry."

He heard her let out a small sigh.

_"...Don't be. I understand you more than you think. I know what it's like to be someone's shadow..."_

_"...But it doesn't define who I am. The same goes for you, Roxas. You are your own person, even more so now."_

_"...You can do it. You can get out of here. I believe in you."_

Roxas sat back down on the gurney, gathering his thoughts and coming to terms with them. Naminé was right; he shouldn't let anger or hate overwhelm him. It would only lead to darkness. Darkness inside the heart he finally had. He didn't want that.

...He knew for a fact that deep down, Sora didn't want it either.

\------------

_Entry 002: Observing._

Roxas would watch as, occasionally, Organization members would pass by and go through a strange black hole. They raised their hands, and it would always appear. Was there some sort of trick or technique to it?

Roxas tried it himself, but it always fizzled out. Sometimes nothing even happened. Just sticking his arm out wasn't enough, apparently.

**"You're doing it wrong."**

Roxas jumped a little when he noticed Sora in the room. How long had he been standing there?

**"You need to focus. Channel all of your energy into the point where you want it to appear. In this case, your hand. Right in front of you."**

**"...If you don't have enough brain cells yet, you do realize you need to draw on the darkness at least a little. Otherwise, it won't work."** Sora crossed his arms.

"...." Roxas rubbed his head. Sora pouted.

**"Well? Do as I said. We don't have all day."**

Roxas closed his eyes, extending his arm forward again. He looked deep into himself and found a bit of something.

...But it wasn't darkness. It was _light._ Pure energy, entirely composed of light. He opened his eyes amd saw that he had, in fact, created a portal. But it wasn't like the others at all.

_...A Corridor of Light. Good job, Roxas._

Sora did not appear to share the same sentiment as the voice in his head. He looked furious.

**"Are you...doing this on purpose? Just to piss me off?"**

Roxas shook his head vigorously. Sora was unconvinced.

**"Close that. And never do it again."**

\-----------

_Entry 003: Learning._

Roxas caught onto everything Sora taught him rather quickly. How to weild his keyblade properly. Magic. Potions and Ethers. It was like second nature to him. Which wasn't surprising, considering where he came from.

But then, Sora wanted to try something different. He refused to tell Roxas what it was until the day came. He entered the room the third day with an unreadable expression on his face. He silently motioned for Roxas to approach. He reluctantly did, mentally prepping himself for anything Sora decided to throw at him.

...He wasn't expecting to get roundhouse kicked in the gut.

Somehow, Roxas managed to stay standing. But he was out of breath and in a lot of pain as he pressed his arms against his stomach. He looked over at Sora, perplexed and a little afraid of what he would do next.

**"...We're testing your limit break today. I want to see it again."**

"...Again?"

Sora scowled. **"You know exactly what I'm talking about."**

Roxas turned slightly pale.

_...Oh. He still remembers that._

Sora summoned his keyblade.

**"You'd better start before I take you out first."**

Roxas bent over when Sora attempted slashing at his neck. He dodged a ball of darkness lodged at him, then blocked a second swing with his keyblade. The boys struggled as their keyblades clashed against each other, bringing them to a standstill.

Physically, Roxas didn't stand a chance. Sora was much stronger than he could ever hope to be. His only two options were outsmarting him, or using a power he barely remembered how to activate.

_Focus, Roxas._

Roxas closed his eyes temporarily.

_....Call out to it._

His keyblade lit up with a warm light. He pushed forward, and Sora was blasted across the room. Roxas immediately regretted his actions when Sora drove his keyblade into the tile floor. His head snapped up, glaring at Roxas with murder in his eyes.

_...Roxas._

He took a few steps back, getting as far away from Sora as possible.

_....Escape. You are ready._

A portal of light manifested behind Roxas. He ran inside and closed it before Sora could reach him. Which was great and all, to avoid getting killed...

...But he had absolutely no idea where he was going.

Roxas popped out of the other side and instantly stumbled into someone. He looked up at Isa, who was walking with Braig and Xemnas on either side of him.

"...Uhh..."

Roxas spun around and ran as fast as his legs could carry him. He heard several footsteps behind him and a bit of hollering. This was a mistake. They were all going to kill him. How was he supposed to escape with nowhere else to go?

_....Destiny Islands._

Roxas shook his head as he pictured a beach.

"...Where...is that...?" He whispered to himself, panting as he continued to move.

_Just picture the name, and that beach. You'll get there. Empty your thoughts of anything else._

Roxas winced as he opened a portal in front of himself and jumped in. He cleared his mind, and focused on nothing but the beach. He yelled as he fell a few feet, then landed face first on something soft and grainy. He pulled his face off of it, then immediately recognised it as sand.

Roxas suddenly felt faint, recalling that he hadn't healed himself. He decided to lay down on his side and wait to recover naturally. He was tired.

"...Heh. That wasn't...so hard..."

Roxas blacked out.

\-----------

Kairi straightened one of Riku's buttons, smiling a little as she did so. She looked up at him.

"Good luck. And be careful."

Riku awkwardly pat her head and grinned. He rubbed the back of his neck, which he could finally feel after getting a proper haircut.

"...You too."

"Pfft. You're such a weirdo." Kairi nudged him playfully.

"Riku. Are ya ready to go?"

Riku looked down at Mickey. He nodded and smiled.

"Alright! Let's get goin'!" Mickey laughed cheerfully. 

Kairi waved as they headed out in Mickey's gummi ship. She tied her hair back into a ponytail, putting her hands on her hips. Kairi nodded to herself and turned around, heading back inside. She bumped into Lea unexpectedly as he passed by.

"Whoa there, Princess." Lea winked. "What's the rush?"

"Training. I have to retake my exam, remember? Even if I can dive into hearts like Riku now...I'm still not a master in Yen Sid's eyes." Kairi frowned a little.

"...Hey. Don't beat yourself up about what happened." Lea shrugged. "So what if you messed up once? I've messed up more times than I can count, and I'm still here."

Kairi rolled her eyes. "Yeah. You're the perfect role model."

"Is that...sarcasm I hear? Coming from Kairi, the sweet island girl?" Lea inquired mockingly.

She lightly punched his shoulder. Lea snickered as he rubbed it.

"You need to train, too. Come on." Kairi motioned for him to follow.

The two of them walked together in silence, heading for the training room. Once they were inside, they warmed up and practiced with their keyblades for a couple of hours. They took a small break once Kairi said that she had to stop. She sat down on the floor, wiping her face with a small towel. Kairi set the towel down in her lap. She looked over at Lea. His eyes were closed, and he seemed to be deep in thought.

"Ax-I mean...Lea?"

"Hmm?" Lea opened one eye, glancing at her.

"...Do you...miss your friend?"

Lea sighed.

"Of course I do. He probably still hates me, though. Can't blame him for that, since I was a pretty lousy friend."

"What happened?" Kairi asked worriedly. "Did he just...change one day?"

Lea smirked.

"...Honestly, I couldn't tell ya for sure. That bit is kinda fuzzy. But it was something he never forgave me for."

"....Trust me when I say this, though." Lea turned his head, staring at her with a serious expression.

"...You were definitely a better friend to Sora. You and Riku. No matter what he tells you, he can't deny that you two did your best with the situation. Better than I could ever do..." Lea put his hands behind his neck and laid his back against the wall.

"...The difference between Isa and Sora is that your buddy's still a softie. Doesn't matter how tough he tries to act. Any display of affection makes that kid crack."

Kairi's eyes lit up.

"...That's it."

"Huh?" Lea raised an eyebrow as she shot up from the floor.

"I just need to get him to open up. To crack."

Kairi pulled at Lea's arm.

"I have an idea. Help me drive the spare gummi ship!"

"Whoa whoa, _what?"_ Lea lifted his head. "I'm not gonna help you hijack a spaceship!"

"I need to go back to the Island real quick, and Goofy and Donald aren't here. Just come on!" She tugged at Lea's arm, her feet sliding on the ground. Lea groaned loudly.

"Alright, alright!" Lea pulled his arm away and ruffled his own hair. He stood up and sauntered after Kairi, who dashed out of the room.

"...I try to be a law-abiding keyblade weilder, and a tiny princess harasses me into commiting a robbery. Though I guess it could be called 'borrowing'. Yep. Just another regular day for Lea."

Kairi and Lea snuck past Yen Sid's room as they headed for the entrance to the tower. Lea silently hoped that she couldn't get in the ship, but he was in for a surprise. Once they were outside, Kairi unlocked the spare ship with her keyblade.

Lea scoffed. "Oh, come on. That's cheating."

"The keyblade can open anything. Might as well put it to use." Kairi hopped inside the ship. Lea seemed to be annoyed as he plopped down onto the driver's seat.

"It'll be quick. I promise." Kairi clapped her hands together, giving him the most sincere, pleading expression she could muster.

"Enough with the puppy eyes. I already said yes." Lea flipped a switch, and the engine to the ship started to whir and vibrate. The ship started to float slightly above the ground.

"...Hold on. Do you even know how to fly a gummi ship?"

Lea raised his hands. "It's just like riding a bike."

"That's not what I asked." Kairi crossed her arms.

Lea nodded, placing his hand on the throttle.

"...In that case...no. But you seem pretty eager, so I'll do it anyways."

"Wait, no!"

Lea pulled down on the throttle. They both screamed as they blasted off into the sky. Kairi grabbed the steering wheel and prevented it from spiraling out of control and ramming into a meteor. She turned to Lea, her face turning red from frustration.

"...You know what? You should take over." Lea got up with his hands raised, then sat down in the passenger seat. He coughed out of discomfort.

"...So, you know where it is?"

Kairi sighed. "...Not exactly. I'll need a shortcut." 

Kairi slowed down the ship, then stood up. She summoned her keyblade and pointed it to the outside of the ship. The tip of her blade lit up, and a portal appeared. She sat back down and steered the ship into the portal. Kairi carefully landed the ship near the island, right next to the dock. She got out, with Lea trailing behind her.

"Yo, Kairi! Wait up!"

Kairi ignored Lea and kept running until she stopped in front of the bent palm tree. The same one they used to sit on to watch the sun set. She climbed onto it and crawled over to the very end of it. Kairi reached out to a paopu fruit, nearly slipping as she picked it off the tree. She crawled back to the other side and got down from the tree. Lea finally reached her. He tilted his head curiously.

"...You came all this way...to grab a fruit."

"It's not just any fruit." Kairi rubbed it with her thumb.

"...There's a legend we have about the paopu fruit on our island. They say that if two people share one, their destinies become intertwined. They'll remain a part of each other's lives, no matter what." She smiled faintly.

"...I want to try it with Sora. If my charm didn't work...then maybe this is the next best thing."

Lea placed a hand on his chest, genuinely touched. He still wanted to tease her about it.

"Awww...you've got a _crush_ on him. That's adorable, kid. What are you gonna do, _marry_ him afterwards? I can hear the church bells already!" Lea put his hands behind his ears dramatically.

Kairi blushed, flustered by what Lea said. "Are you crazy?! That's not what I-"

"Don't worry! I'll help you pick out your dress! What size are you?" Lea made kissing noises with his mouth as Kairi covered her face with the fruit.

"Lea, _please._ I meant I was going to use it to knock some sense into him!"

"Oh, so you're gonna hit him with fruit? Classy. _Spicy."_

"It's METAPHORICAL! UGH!" Kairi crouched down, still covering her face.

"...This is stupid. I don't know why I came here. I guess...I just needed some fresh air...."

Lea inhaled over-dramatically, then threw himself onto the sand. He started moving his arms and legs to make a sand angel. Kairi peeked at him and stifled a giggle.

"Can't argue with that. This sand is awesome. Would you care to join me, M'lady?"

Kairi stood up and kicked some sand onto his face. He coughed and sputtered, dusting it off with his hands. He huffed.

"Oh, now that's just cold."

They both suddenly heard some clattering. Lea shot up from the ground, his head darting from left to right.

"...It came from there." Kairi pointed at the small wooden shack, nestled into a corner. Lea got up and walked past her, patting her shoulder.

"No worries. I got it."

Lea summoned his keyblade. He raised it up as he creeped towards the door to the shack, holding his breath. Once he was close enough, he kicked the door down. He'd always wanted to do that.

"GOTCHA!"

Lea paused. He stared down quizzically at a small boy covered in rope, with a bucket on his head. He was soaked with salt water, which was barely apparent on his white jacket and pants. The boy pulled up the bucket slightly and looked up at Lea. His eyes widened.

"...Oh. Hello." He waved awkwardly.

Lea nodded and smiled, turning to leave. He did a double-take, not fully comprehending the person in front of him. Lea's eyes lit up with familiarity and he pointed at the boy.

"Heeeeeyyy....it's you!!!" Lea laughed and clapped his hands.

The boy tried to stand up, but the ropes were tangled all over his arms and legs. He grunted in frustration. Lea waved his hands.

"Ok ok. You're making it worse. Let me help you." Lea approached and started untangling him from the ropes. He flicked the bucket off of the boy's head as well.

"Hey, Kairi! False alarm! I found an old friend!"

Kairi rushed over and saw the unfamiliar boy. She was mildly worried at first, but eventually smiled when she noticed how happy Lea was. She joined Lea in helping to untangle the boy.

"How did you even get in this mess?" Kairi inquired.

"...I have...no idea. I just bonked my head on the wall and I suddenly couldn't see anything. Plus I got wet."

Kairi snickered. "I can see that."

Kairi and Lea helped the boy stand up once they were finished. Lea patted his back.

"It's good to see you, man! Where have you been?"

The boy crossed his arms, contemplating how to answer the question.

"...Busy being dead."

Kairi and Lea were unnerved by his reply. Perhaps that wasn't the best choice of words, considering the looks on their faces. He needed to fix it, before they started thinking there was something wrong with him.

"...Uh...it was supposed to be a joke?"

Their faces went blank. Oh god, he'd made it worse. How was he supposed to recover from that??? Why did he think that was funny to say?!?

Before he could die from embarrassment, Lea abruptly started to laugh. It got to the point that he went hysterical, doubling over. Kairi stared at him like he'd grown a second head.

"Dude...A+ material right there. Comedy gold." Lea gave him a thumbs up. The boy smiled anxiously, twiddling his fingers. He didn't know if that was more relieving or concerning.

"...By the way, I never got your name." Lea wiped a tear from his eye.

He looked down, sweating nervously.

"R...Roxas. Call me Roxas."

Kairi furrowed her brows. She looked at him suspiciously, making him extremely nervous and self-conscious.

It faded. She smiled again at him. "It's nice to meet you, Roxas. I'm Kairi." She extended her hand towards him. He cautiously accepted the gesture and shook her hand in random directions. He wasn't quite sure how it worked, but at least it made her laugh.

"I don't think I've ever seen you in my hometown before. How come you're out here, on the island?"

"...Ummm...." His words failed him. He didn't expect Kairi to pry so much, but he also couldn't blame her. No one else was here. Of course it seemed unusual for him to be out on the island, all on his own. But it wasn't like he had any place to call home.

The thought of his promise came back to him. He gulped, forcing the words out of himself. He hoped he wouldn't regret it.

"...N...Naminé says hi."

Kairi gasped. She and Lea looked at each other, then back at him. Roxas winced, taking a few steps back.

"Wait, wait." Kairi took his hand gently. It was a far cry from the feeling of having it sprained. It still hurt a little.

"...Could you...come with us?" Kairi asked. "We promise we won't try anything funny. We just want to ask you a few things. Right, Lea?"

Kairi elbowed him on the side. Lea rolled his eyes. His gaze softened when he looked back at Roxas.

"Yep. No funny business."

Roxas hesitated for a moment, but gradually some of his tension faded. He nodded slowly.

"...Ok."

\---------

Riku and Mickey faced the large, white door with grave expressions on their faces. They could see the darkness slipping out through the crack.

"Just as I suspected. The Door To Darkness has opened again." Mickey looked up at Riku.

"...Once we go in, it might be difficult to get back out."

Riku nodded. "I know. I don't expect it to be that simple. It wasn't the first time."

"...But I'll do what I have to to get our friend out of there. I'm not afraid of the dark anymore."

Mickey smiled. "Then let's go get Aqua back!"

Riku and Mickey slipped through the crack, careful to not open the door any more than it already was. Once they got through, Riku turned around and tried sticking his hand out the other side they had come from. A barrier of darkness blocked him.

"...Well. It's now or never." Riku turned back to Mickey, following his friend as they headed down a dark pathway. Nothing could be heard except for the sound of their footsteps.

"How long do you think it will take? To find her?"

Mickey hummed, putting a hand under his chin.

"I can't say for sure. The Realm of Darkness is large, and full of illusions. It tricks the mind into thinkin' that stuff is really there, even when it isn't. I didn't experience it myself. But I'm positive Aqua did, from what she said when I was here with her."

"...Illusions of Terra and Ventus...her best friends. But I think that they were actually reachin' out to her. They might not be safe, or anywhere near her...but their hearts will always be connected. Just like us and our friends, Riku."

Riku closed his eyes. "...Yeah. We are connected. Isn't that right...Sora?" He looked up at the dark sky with a solemn expression.

The ground started to rumble, ending their moment of reverie. Riku stepped back when he saw black and purple smoke seeping out of the ground. It flew up into the sky, forming a steadily growing ball of darkness. Riku and Mickey pulled out their keyblades. It exploded in front of the two masters, shrouding them in darkness.

Riku opened one eye. He looked down and saw that Mickey was still next to him, but they were now in a completely different location. It was a wide, open field. Gnarled trees surrounded the area, and there was only one trail to escape from. Mickey and Riku ran towards it, but skidded to a halt when they saw glowing red eyes blocking their path. Mickey raised his keyblade up into the air.

"Light!"

A ball of light formed at the tip of his blade, illuminating the entire field. The large Heartless that was crouching on all fours roared at them. The chains on its legs rattled as it charged towards the two of them. They both dodged the monster's attack as it swung its sharp claws at them.

"Mickey!" Riku held out his hand towards his friend. Mickey grabbed it, and they both started to swing around in circles. A barrage of light came out of their keyblades, striking the monster several times. It hissed and teleported out of the way, covering itself in darkness as it scanned the two of them. Riku could still see its piercing red eyes as they steadily slowed down and came to a standstill. They got into their fighting stances, waiting for the Heartless to attack again.

"On the count of three, you distract it with another blast of light while I take it down." Riku gripped his keyblade tightly.

Mickey gave him a thumbs up. "You got it!"

Once again, Mickey blinded the Heartless with the light from his keyblade. Riku leaped up into the air, raising his keyblade above his head. He swung down, going directly for its neck.

The creature suddenly recovered, howling as it lunged for Riku. It caught his keyblade in its mouth.

Riku screamed as his keyblade shattered. He crashed onto the ground face first, still holding what was left of his keyblade in his hand.

"RIKU!!!"

Mickey repelled the Heartless with all of the power he could muster. It screeched as it disintegrated from the overwhelming amount of light the tiny mouse released. Mickey ran towards his fallen friend, then started shaking him.

"Riku! Riku! Please wake up!"

"...Ugh...." Riku lifted his head up a little, looking up at Mickey who seemed to be relieved. He noticed the shards of his keyblade behind Mickey, then lifted up the other half that was still in his hand.

"I'm...okay." Riku shook his head and pushed himself up with his arms. He held the broken keyblade with a loose grip.

"...It felt like my heart almost snapped in two. But it didn't." Riku placed a hand on his chest.

"It'll take more than that to stop me, I guess."

"I'm just glad that you're alright. You really scared me!" Mickey exclaimed.

"...Sorry. It won't happen again." Riku lifted his keyblade up, staring at it with an unreadable expression.

"...But I can't use this."

\---------

Roxas sat in a chair they'd brought out for him. He eyes were closed as he tapped his fingers against his legs. Kairi and Lea seemed uneasy, while Yen Sid stared at the boy with an intense expression.

"...So, let me get this straight." Roxas opened his eyes.

"Kairi and Naminé...are the same person. Axel amd Lea...are also the same person. Everyone from the Organization is a piece of Xehanort, and I'm technically Sora. Or at least...a part of him." Roxas rubbed his head.

"Yeah. It's a lot to take in." Lea shrugged.

"But by that logic...you should still be a part of Sora." Kairi winced. "...How is it that you're here now?"

Roxas lowered his head.

"...You guys did take the time to explain to me what's happening. It's only fair if I do the same." He took a deep breath.

"I was recreated by Organization XIII. They used the data in Sora's heart and an empty puppet to bring me back. This body...isn't real. But my mind and my heart are. I'm basically my own person now."

Lea frowned. "But that's..."

"Impossible. I know." Roxas shook his head. "Sora kinda does that. He defies the impossible."

"...But I still don't like him. Even if he did bring me back, it was only so they could use me. That's why I ran away."

Kairi was saddened by Roxas' harsh words. She felt bad, silently wishing that she could've done something to help.

"...I'm sorry to hear that. It must have been difficult for you. But I understand where you're coming from with Sora. He wasn't very nice to me the last time we saw each other...."

Lea raised an eyebrow. _That's an understatement...._

Yen Sid cleared his throat. They all diverted their attention to him.

"...Roxas. Seeing that you share many things with Sora, I presume that you have a keyblade of your own?"

Roxas nodded shyly. He extended his arm forward and summoned Oathkeeper. Kairi was surprised. It looked nothing like the dark, sinister keyblade that Sora weilded. Roxas really wasn't like Sora at all.

"...I see." Yen Sid stood up.

"Roxas...you can stay here and train alongside Lea and Kairi, if that is what you desire. But you do not have to. You can leave and live out a peaceful life on another world if you do not wish to fight anymore." Yen Sid put his hands behind his back.

"It is up to you. We will not judge you for the decision you make."

Roxas blinked, baffled by what Yen Sid said. He...he actually had a choice now? He could do whatever he wanted?

He considered a life, free from responsibilities. Never worrying about anything ever again.

...But then...he thought of his friends. Naminé. The other Sora. Lea. Even Kairi and Riku. They had all sacrificed so much for a greater cause. And now, from what he had heard...they were going to risk it all again in a war. A fight to the death. Could he really bring himself to abandon them and quit...?

Roxas stared at Yen Sid. He breathed out.

"...A normal life...would be pretty boring. I think I'll stick it out for a little longer...and help you guys out."

He gasped as Kairi tackled him with a big hug. Roxas hugged her back timidly, his face turning a faint shade of pink. Lea approached and gave him a noogie on the head, then joined in on the friendly embrace. Yen Sid chuckled and sat back down, letting the hug go on for as long as it needed to.

Lea coughed nervously and released them, turning his face as he rubbed his eyes.

"Sorry. I think I got some sand in my eyes. That stuff just sneaks up on you, huh?"

Kairi and Roxas laughed as Lea started to blush. He crossed his arms, pouting a little.

"A-HEM."

Kairi tensed up. That loud voice was unmistakable. She turned her head towards Donald and Goofy, grinning nervously.

"Hey....what's up?"

"YOU LEFT A BUNCH OF SCRATCHES AND BUMPS ON THE SPARE SHIP, THAT'S WHAT'S UP!!!" Donald quacked angrily.

Goofy patted Donald's head as he heaved in and out. Donald eventually sighed and slouched.

"Uncle Scrooge's gonna kill me...."

"Ohh, I'm so sorry..." Kairi clapped her hands togther and placed her hands over her mouth. "I'll help you patch it up. It's only fair."

"Gawrsh, Kairi. Why didn't ya just wait for us to come back?" Goofy tilted his head curiously.

"Well...well I just...um..." Kairi blushed.

"She wanted to get a paopu fruit to share with Sora. She hid it in her room."

"LEA!!!" Kairi slapped his arm. Lea laughed at her and ruffled her hair.

Goofy and Donald looked at each other. They snickered.

"I was wonderin' when you'd finally gather up the courage, Kairi! Ain't Sora your sweetie pie?" Goofy chimed.

"....Why are you all doing this to me...." Kairi covered her face. She could feel it burning up.

"Alright, alright. Let's stop." Donald waved his hand dismissively. He started tapping his foot.

"...So, what's the plan now?"

Roxas raised his hand. "I'd like to know that too."

Donald and Goofy finally noticed Roxas in the room.

"...And who are you?" Donald raised an eyebrow.

"I'm Roxas. I, uh...used to be Sora's Nobody. Still kinda am..."

Goofy shook Roxas' hand. "Nice to meet ya! I'm Goofy, and that's Donald." He pointed back at the white duck, who rolled his eyes.

"...You aren't surprised about who I am?"

Goofy shook his head. "Of course not! We're both kinda used to that sort of thing already. It's always nice ta make new friends, too!"

Roxas smiled a little.

"That's good to hear."

Yen Sid lifted his hand to get everyone's attention. He then snapped his fingers, and a book materialized on the desk.

"For your previous query...we are currently awaiting Mickey and Riku's return, along with two other keyblade wielders. Once they arrive from their mission, you shall all set out individually in small groups across the worlds. The main purpose of spreading out is to gather more intel about the Organization's plot. Should any of you run into them and are forced to engage in battle, remember your training. Be cautious, and work as a team."

The small group nodded.

"Ok! Roxas, I'll take you to the spare room. Then me and Lea can give you a small tour of the tower and start training with you. How does that sound?" Kairi put her hands behind her back, leaning towards him with a smile on her face.

Roxas' eyes lit up. "Sure! Sounds great."

Kairi grabbed his hand and pulled him forward. Lea strolled alongside them as they headed down the stairs. Donald and Goofy both looked over at Yen Sid.

"...Master Yen Sid, are you sure that getting help from another keyblade wielder is a good idea? We'd have one too many." Donald tapped his fingers on his arms.

Goofy scratched his head. He started counting on his fingers.

"There's Lea, Kairi, Mickey, Riku, the two keyblade wielders Yen Sid mentioned, and now Roxas. Nope! That's exactly seven, Donald."

"Wait, really?!" Donald counted on his fingers as well. He seemed confused.

"...Was I...adding someone else by accident?"

Donald's eyes widened. He suddenly looked sad, remembering the boy that had attacked them recently.

"...Oh. Never mind."

\-------

Riku drove his broken keyblade into the sand. He looked out past the shoreline, watching the pale moonlight next to Mickey. He glanced back down at his old weapon. The same one that had gotten him through so many fights. That had never failed him when he needed strength, until he failed it. That he had earned on his own when his original key rejected him, never finding a master of its own. Or maybe, that key was still looking for someone.

...But whoever it was...it definitely wouldn't be him.

"...Well. I guess I won't be needing this one anymore. I'll just leave it here..." Riku smiled a little.

"...In case the other me needs it."

Mickey looked up at Riku, tilting his head.

"Huh?"

Riku shook his head dismissively. He turned around and walked away. Mickey chased after him.

"What are you gonna do now? Are ya gonna try to call upon another keyblade?"

Riku nodded. "I have to. I can't walk around in the Realm of Darkness empty-handed. And besides...I've done it before. I was the one who gave Kairi her keyblade, back when we fought Ansem together. She wouldn't leave me alone about wanting to help until I did." He chuckled to himself.

"...Alright. I need to concentrate." Riku closed his eyes, extending his hand forward. Mickey watched intently, waiting to see what kind of keyblade his friend would draw out.

Riku gasped as he sensed its power, and saw as it manifested in his hand. It was much larger than his old keyblade, and much heavier. But there was a certain lightness to it as he swung it back and forth. He shut his eyes tightly, aiming it vertically against his forehead.

"...This weight it has...as if there's an inner strength beyond what I see and feel...it's familiar. It reminds me of an oath I took, a long time ago..."

Mickey smiled and nodded. "That's good! This keyblade was obviously meant for you, then."

"I hope you're right." Riku made his new keyblade disappear. Just as he did, he suddenly heard a faint sound.

Mickey's ear twitched. It seemed like he picked up on the noise as well.

"...Gosh, what was that?"

Riku went in the direction of the noise. It sounded like a voice, whispering all around them. He sped up a little as it got louder. He heard Mickey call out to him, and the voice stopped. Mickey finally caught up, panting a little as he looked at Riku. He seemed to be staring at something with a surprised expression. Mickey turned his head and gasped.

...A large, white castle, contrasting the looming darkness surrounding it. Mickey automatically recognized it.

"...This is...Cinderella's castle? But how can that be? It's in the Realm of Light!"

"It must be an illusion, like you said before." Riku frowned.

"...Maybe this is a sign that we're getting close. Let's go."

Mickey apprehensively followed beside Riku as they crossed the bridge. They both suddenly felt the ground underneath them starting to rumble.

"Whoa!" Mickey jumped back as pieces of the bridge crumbled under his feet. Riku picked him up and started running for the castle entrance. He gritted his teeth as he leaped over a large gap, just barely managing to grab onto the edge of the castle entrance. He tossed Mickey onto the ground and pulled himself up. Riku took a moment to catch his breath.

"...That was...way too close...."

The two friends steadied themselves, then headed for the door. Mickey and Riku exchanged glances, nodding to each other. They pushed the door open and stepped inside.

It was dark and hollow in the castle. Their footsteps echoed across the empty hallways, until their eyes fell on a singular object. It was a mirror, with intricate designs on the edges. Riku was the first to approach it, questioning as to why this was the only visible thing in this castle. He stopped in front of it, staring at his reflection as his curiosity grew. He carefully reached out and placed his hand on the glass. It was cool to the touch.

Riku's eyes widened as his reflection smiled back at him. He yelled as its arm came out of the mirror and pulled him in.

"Riku!!!" Mickey ran towards the mirror and pushed on it, then started knocking on it with his fists. But it wouldn't budge for him, nor would it show his own reflection. Riku was gone.

"No..." Mickey lowered his hands and clenched them.

"I won't let this happen again. I'll find another way in!"

\-------

Riku stumbled through the mirror, disoriented. He found himself inside of room full of mirrors.

"...Ok. That was weird. Mickey! Where are you?!"

No response from his friend. He heard quiet whispers echoing around him, saying indiscernible things to him. He shook his head and slapped his own cheeks.

"Gotta keep it together. If I look in all of these...I'm bound to find Mickey and Aqua eventually."

Riku went through the first mirror. Nothing but Heartless inside until he destroyed them all and escaped. The glass on it cracked, and he moved on to the next one. The next four mirrors were exactly the same. But once he reached the fifth one, everything changed. He found himself on a stairway, leading upwards to nothing but a mirror. Once he passed through it repeatedly a few times, he found himself in a different area. A wide, empty room, with no walls and a glass floor. A single mirror was in the center of it.

Riku raised an eyebrow. "...Alright. I'm getting sick of all these mirrors. This last one had better lead to _something."_

He marched over to the mirror, staring at his reflection again. He waved his hand in front of it, just to be safe. It seemed like there were no tricks for the time being. He rubbed his chin, thinking to himself.

_....I don't get it. Why is this place constantly showing me what I look like? I know who I am._

_"Do you, really?"_

Riku took a few steps away from the mirror. Did his...reflection just _talk?_ And it didn't smile this time. Its expression was just...blank.

He tensed up as the reflection stepped outside of the mirror, facing him directly. Riku summoned his keyblade. The reflection did the same.

_"You should take a good look inside yourself and see what you find. I can see you clearly."_

The reflection charged at him. Riku blocked the attack, pushing his copy back.

_"...Riku. Failure of a master."_

The reflection shot a ball of darkness at him. Riku smacked it away.

_"Failure of a hero."_

The reflection teleported behind Riku and kicked him in the back. Riku staggered, not expecting the full force of the hit.

_"Failure of a friend."_

"ENOUGH!!!" Riku dashed towards the reflection and slashed downwards. The reflection disappeared, then reformed with five other copies of itself.

"Stop hiding. I can see who you really are, too."

The reflection smirked. Its image shimmered until it appeared as an entirely different person. Her eyes seemed to be glowing as she followed his movements. Riku gritted his teeth.

"Where is the REAL Aqua? TELL ME!!!"

The copies smiled unanimously. _"As her doubts grow, we become stronger. You will never find her."_

"LIAR!"

Riku let out a battle cry as he ran towards the reflections. He slashed at two of them, making them vanish. The other four cut him arms and legs with chains that came out of their keyblade. The chains wrapped around him, forcing him to get on his knees. Riku yelled furiously as he used pure strength to snap the chains into pieces, then dodged the copies as they started to spin, releasing waves of energy around themselves. A blast of frigid air sent Riku flying. He hit the ground roughly and rolled out of the way as the copies attempted impaling him.

_"It's useless. Stop fighting. Give in to the darkness, and stop being a fool like her."_

_"...Neither of you will make it out of here. Neither of you will see the light again. Just accept it."_

"I don't think so!"

The copies all turned their heads, then shrieked as a blast of light filled the entire room. Riku covered his eyes.

"That oughta keep em away for a while."

Riku opened his eyes and saw Mickey approaching. The tiny king grinned.

"I'm so glad that I made it to ya in time! I was worried that I wouldn't find a way in."

Riku laughed a little, then plopped down onto the floor. He scratched his head.

"You always seem to find a way. Good thing I can count on you."

Mickey nodded. "Of course! After all, I did make a promise to you. I'm gonna follow ya down this path and help you out along the way."

Mickey extended his hand to Riku. Riku accepted the friendly gesture and took the king's hand. He got up from the floor, then started to look around.

"...Mickey. While we were separated, did you find anything regarding Aqua?"

Mickey became more serious. He looked around, then nodded.

"Let's get outta here first. I gotta show ya somethin'."

Mickey and Riku passed through the last mirror. It shattered into pieces behind them. Mickey motioned for Riku to follow, then eventually pointed at a reddish light beyond the horizon. Riku took note of the fact that the castle faded around them.

"...It might be risky to go over there...but it's the only lead I've got. I can sense it. A faint source of power."

"Then let's not keep it waiting for us." Riku started to run with Mickey, steadily making their way to the new area.

Riku noticed the vague shapes of trees surrounding them, and the air grew colder. There was no longer a breeze as they ran. It felt stale and lifeless. The silence was quickly broken as they both sensed a terrible evil approaching. They summoned their keyblades as a single Darkside manifested in front of them. Mickey and Riku shouted as they took the monster down together, but were immediately discouraged when they were suddenly surrounded by a swarm of them.

"...Hmph. Heartless just love playing dirty, don't they?"

"Don't worry, Riku!" Mickey swung his keyblade. "We can take 'em, as long as we work together!"

Riku nodded, gripping his keyblade tightly. The two of them attacked the Darksides relentlessly. One after another, the Heartless would go down. The only problem was that no matter how many they destroyed, they always came back. Despite their resolve to win against the Heartless, their strength was beginning to wane.

"I can't...imagine doing this...all alone." Riku wiped some of the sweat from his forehead.

"...We've gotta...keep goin'....for Aqua, and for everyone else..." Mickey breathed in and out heavily, but remained in a fighting position.

"...Oh, so you boys are tired already?"

Mickey blinked. There was no way. It couldn't be...could it? He realized Riku was staring at something in silent awe and wonder. Mickey slowly glanced in the same direction, and his mouth opened a little. He started tearing up.

There she was, standing before them at a fair distance. Her clothes were slightly torn, and she had a few cuts and bruises, but she was still intact. Alive. A ghost of a smile formed on her mouth as she summoned her own keyblade.

"How about I give you two a little help, then?"

Aqua closed her eyes, inhaling sharply. She raised up her keyblade, running her fingers down it. The weapon started to glow faintly, and they felt a faint breeze pick up. The keyblade crackled with energy as it surged with power. Her eyes snapped open, and she shot her keyblade up into the air.

"GO!"

The keyblade released the magic spells Aqua knew, all at the same time. Giant bolts of lightning obliterated several of the Darksides instantly. A blast of blizzard magic froze the rest. Flames erupted and spread across the field, incinerating the frozen Heartless. And just like that, it was over. The Darksides were no more, and were no match for the spells Aqua casted. Her legs wobbled, and she fell on her hands. Mickey and Riku rushed over to her and helped her stand up. She smiled wearily at Mickey.

"...What took...you so long...? I was worried...that you'd forgotten..."

Mickey gave her a pained smile. "...I'm so sorry. I was just...tryin' really hard to do a lot of things at the same time. It's all been a bit of a mess..."

Aqua sighed. "...I hope...that not all of it....was because...of...me...."

She fainted. Riku picked her up and carried her in his arms. He looked down at Mickey.

"...Let's go home."

\-----------

Kairi tapped her fingers against Yen Sid's desk. Even after giving a tour, training with Lea and Roxas for a whole day, and playing a board game, she couldn't stop worrying about Riku and Mickey. Kairi knew that it was obvious how much she was worrying, since Lea and Roxas wouldn't stop asking if she was doing ok. She just wanted to know if her friends were safe and had found a way out. She was tempted to ask Yen Sid one more time, but she already knew the answer.

All they could do was wait.

"I can't take it anymore!" Kairi plopped her head onto the desk.

"...I just want them to waltz right through that door like nothing happened already." She huffed, closing her eyes. Lea patted her on the head.

"Ask and you shall recieve."

Kairi's eyes opened. She shot out of her chair and spun around.

"...Riku!" Kairi embraced him tightly. Riku chuckled and hugged her back. Mickey smiled at them.

Kairi looked up at him. "...Did...did you find...?"

Riku nodded. He placed a finger over his mouth and motioned for them all to follow. The group left the room and headed down the hallway.

"She's resting. Mickey opened another room for her."

Kairi smiled a little. "...Honestly...if we keep this up, this tower is going to be more like a hotel."

Riku reached the last door of the hall. He grabbed the handle and opened the door. It creaked a little as he stepped inside. He stood against the door and let them look inside.

Aqua was awake again. She was reading through the first report in the folder, which had been placed inside the room she was in. She heard them all come inside and looked up. Aqua suddenly gasped.

_"Ven?!"_

Aqua rushed over to Roxas and grabbed the sides of his face. Roxas was startled by her sudden reaction, and even more perplexed as she pinched his cheeks.

"...Uhhh...." Roxas took her hands and brought them back down, seemingly uncomfortable. Aqua tilted her head in confusion and narrowed her eyes. The familiarity in her eyes vanished, and she took a few steps back.

"...Oh my goodness. I'm so sorry! I thought you were someone else!" She rubbed her arms.

"...You just...look so much like him."

Roxas shrugged nonchalantly. "...Don't worry about it. Happens all the time."

"...I'm so embarrassed." Aqua lowered her head. "I haven't been around other people in so long...that it's kind of overwhelming. I don't know how to act properly."

Roxas chuckled. "Same here. I get where you're coming from."

"What's your name?" Aqua asked.

He smiled. "I'm Roxas. It's nice to meet you, even if you pinched my cheeks."

Aqua laughed a little.

"Nice to meet you too. I'm Aqua. And I promise you that I'm normally not this weird."

They shook hands. Roxas had finally gotten the hang of it and did it correctly. Aqua grinned, then looked over at the other people in the room.

"...Riku. Kairi. I barely even recognize you two. You've gotten so much bigger! I remember when you were both so tiny." She lifted a hand over her mouth with an amused expression. Kairi and Riku both blushed.

"...By the way...where is Sora? I honestly thought he would be here, too."

Kairi and Riku suddenly looked distressed, then sad. They glanced at each other, then back at Aqua.

"He's...not on our side anymore..." Kairi rubbed her temple.

Aqua's eyes widened. Her smile faded. 

"...What..?"

Kairi and Riku began to explain what had happened while Aqua was gone. They went through the reports with her as well. Once they were finished, Aqua seemed considerably depressed by all the information.

"...So...this _is_ all my fault. I thought I was saving Terra when I took his place in the Realm of Darkness....but all I really did was release a monster and ruin people's lives...." Aqua covered her face with her hands.

"...Ya didn't know he was gonna do any of that. It's ok, Aqua." Mickey patted her shoulder.

She dropped her hands. Tears were falling from her eyes.

"...I'm sorry...."

Kairi and Riku ran over and hugged her. Aqua was stunned at first, then took a shaky breath in and wrapped her arms around them. Roxas and Lea looked at each other with solemn expressions, then turned back to the small trio. Aqua eventually released them, rubbing her eyes.

"...Does anyone...have my armor or my glider? I need to go and wake one of my friends. I need to do something right."

"...We don't have it. But Master Yen Sid and the three good fairies can make you a new pair. They're makin' armor for us, too." Mickey rubbed his head.

"...In the meantime, we can use a gummi ship."

"Did somebody say 'gummi ship'?"

Aqua turned her head to see Donald and Goofy. They smiled at her.

"We can't trust Kairi to fly a ship. So Captain Donald is at your service!" He saluted, and Goofy joined in.

Kairi groaned, slumping a little.

"Lea was there too, you know...."

Their banter seemed to cheer up Aqua quite a bit. She gave Donald and Goofy a faint nod.

"Alright. Lead the way."

\----------

After a quick introduction, Aqua followed Donald and Goofy down the tower. They fit inside the ship rather snugly, since there were only three seats. Kairi and the others waved as they headed out. Aqua looked out the ship, seeing the stars in the multicolored sky.

_...Ven....I'm coming._

"Master Aqua, do ya know the exact location for Castle Oblivion?" Goofy inquired. "It'll make it easier if Donald punches in the exact coordinates, or at least knows which way he's goin'."

"Please, just call me Aqua. There's no need to be so formal." She chuckled.

"...I can open a portal to it. I still remember what my old home looks like."

"What?!" Donald exclaimed. "You used to live in Castle Oblivion?!?"

Aqua nodded. "...I honestly didn't know it by that name before. Castle Oblivion." She placed a hand on her chest.

"...For me, Terra, and Ven...it was called the Land of Departure. A safe haven for any person, no matter their origins. It was home."

Aqua stood up and formed a portal of light in front of the ship. Donald flew the ship into it, and they reappeared right in front of the infamous castle. Donald landed the ship a fair distance away from it. Aqua jumped out, then Goofy and Donald chased after her. She pressed her hands against the doors, closed her eyes, and pushed them open by herself. She opened them, observing what was inside.

"...Looks like nothing has changed. But it feels a little different."

Aqua cautiously took a few steps inside. Donald and Goofy poked their heads through the doors and slipped in as well. They pushed the doors back, closing the entrance.

"There's a secret that only I know to this place. Stay close to me." Aqua startes walking down to the next door. Goofy and Donald followed with a bit of unease.

_"My, my. What an intriguing development."_

"WAK!!!" Donald jumped a little from the sound of a low, dark voice behind them. The three of them turned around, summoning their weapons. Aqua's intial anger turned into shock. Her eyes dilated.

"...T....Terra...?!"

"No way! That's Xemnas! He used to be the leader of the Nobodies!" Donald swung his wand as it crackled with electricity.

Aqua stared in disbelief at the man facing her. His hair was longer. Much longer, and as white as the room they were in. His golden eyes were cold and calloused, and he wore a strange black coat.

...But no matter what Donald and Goofy said about this 'Xemnas'....all she could see was Terra.

"I thought I sensed a familiar power within this castle, but I certainly didn't expect it to be you. Welcome back, _old friend."_

Aqua grunted, gripping her keyblade tightly

"What do you want. Why are you here?!"

Xemnas shook his head, laughing to himself.

"...There is a room here that has eluded me for the longest time. The Chamber of Waking. Perhaps you have heard of it?"

"If you think I'll actually take you there, you're dead wrong. So stay back, if you know what's good for you."

Xemnas smirked. "...Such cruel words. I would have expected you to be a little happier to be reunited with a friend."

 _"You are NOT Terra. How DARE you have the nerve to say that to me???"_ Aqua snapped.

Xemnas crossed his arms with an unreadable expression on his face.

"...Fair enough. But as much as I would like to indulge you further, I have other matters to attend to. And as you are now, I can tell that I would stand little chance of defeating you. Such is the power of an unwavering light."

"...Go on. Wake your other friend. It will not matter how many of you rise against us. The light will fall, just as it has done since the dawn of time."

Xemnas disappeared. Aqua could no longer feel his presence. It relieved some of her tension.

"Aqua, are you alright?" Goofy touched her shoulder.

She nodded, placing a hand on her forehead. "...I'm fine. Let's keep going."

Aqua, Donald and Goofy made their way past the door and winding pathways of Castle Oblivion. Aqua's expression was stern throughout, and she seemed to know exactly where she was going. Donald and Goofy bumped into her as she suddenly stopped in front of a white wall. She started touching it all over, then knocked on it three times in the middle. She closed her eyes amd pressed her ear against it. Donald and Goofy were mildly concerned by her bizarre behavior.

"...This is it. Stand back, you two."

Donald and Goofy listened to her request, backing away. Aqua summoned her keyblade and aimed it at the wall. A beam of light shot out of her weapon. The entire wall began to glow, and an ornate door manifested before them. It looked nothing like any of the other doors inside Castle Oblivion.

Aqua opened the door without hesitation. She scanned the area frantically until her eyes fell on a chair at the very end of the room. She covered her mouth with her hands, tearing up.

"...Ven."

He was still sleeping peacefully. Aqua hadn't doubted that, but she was still overcome with a flurry of emotions. He looked the same as she remembered him. She ran to her friend and fell to her knees. Trembling, she reached out and gently touched the side of his face.

"Ven? Can you hear me?"

No reply. She bit her lip.

"Come on....please wake up." She shook his shoulder, but he didn't react to it.

Aqua lowered her head. She pulled out her Wayfinder and placed it in his hand, squeezing it shut.

"...Please...."

Her heart skipped a beat as she felt a hand touch her head. She looked up and saw Ventus' eyes open. His eyes were slightly dim, but she could see that he was fully aware. A tear fell from his left eye.

"...Y....you...." His voice faltered.

"Don't push yourself." Aqua's eyes opened a bit more as he vaguely shook his head. He wanted to say something.

"....You....c...came....for me....."

Aqua started to sob. She dropped her head on his chest, careful to not put too much weight on him. Ventus smiled faintly and rubbed her back.

"Th...this....isn't...another dream....is it....?"

Aqua laughed a little, sniffing.

"...No. This is real."

\-----------

It was a bit tight for them all to fit inside the ship, but they managed. Ventus was mildly delirious, mentioning how hungry and thristy he was and craving giant scoops of ice cream from Disney Town. He averted his eyes from all the flashing lights outside, since it was too much for him to take in all at once. Ventus was trying his best to readjust. But much like Aqua, he had been trapped in darkness for a very long time. Ventus' eyes suddenly lit up. He glanced at Aqua with a wild look in his eyes.

"...T...Terra...???"

Aqua shook her head, her heart twisting as she did so. Ventus looked down in disappointment. He gripped the side of his head.

"...It...it wasn't bad at first. It was actually really warm and bright. It felt safe. But I couldn't do anything when Xehanort cast a dark shadow on Sora's heart. I was still too weak to fight back. I guess that's what I get for shattering my heart like it was nothing..."

Ventus coughed. His throat felt dry. Goofy gave him a potion to chug down. Not exactly water, but it was good enough to actually make him feel a little better.

"...Once Xehanort sensed me, it felt like he was trying to suffocate me every chance he got. And eventually....Sora joined him. If Sora hadn't decided to just...throw me out, using that one keyblade...I probably wouldn't be here right now. I could tell that he was tired of me hanging out in there, trying to get him to be the way he was...."

"...He didn't lose his body. It wasn't like the first time at all. There's so much darkness inside him that he wouldn't need to turn into a Heartless. He practically is one at this point. But he can still feel pain. I felt it too." Ventus touched his chest.

"...Getting your heart ripped out...it's excruciating. It feels like your whole being is torn into a million pieces. But he still didn't care. Sora's hatred for everything runs deep. Deeper than anything else. It's the last thing I sensed from him before we split completely..."

Aqua sighed deeply. She looked at Ventus.

"...Ven. When we get to Master Yen Sid's tower, tell them everything you told me. But only if you're feeling up to it. And you have to eat and drink some real food first."

Ventus chuckled. "Aqua....you really should quit treating me like a kid. I know all that already."

Aqua ruffled his hair.

"...Sorry. You know I've always worried too much."

"Not to mention that you're kinda bossy and a control freak." Ventus nudged her playfully. Aqua scoffed and turned her head.

"...Also, are we there yet? I'm still starving." Ventus felt his stomach growl.

"Hold your horses!!!" Donald spat. "I'm going as fast as I can!!!"

Ventus raised his hands. "Ok, chill." He glanced at Aqua and pointed at Donald with his thumb.

"...He seems fun...."

"I HEARD THAT. I'll turn this ship right around if you keep it up!!!"

Ventus pouted, lying down on the floor since he didn't have a seat. Aqua stifled a laugh.

After about a half hour had passed, they finally made it to the tower. Aqua helped Ventus get out of the ship, since his legs were wobbly and he was still regaining his strength. Goofy and Donald tumbled out of the ship, making Ventus laugh. Donald's face turned red with fury.

"I WILL BURN YOU."

Ventus stopped abruptly, taking the duck's threat seriously. Donald started snickering.

"I'm just kidding! But don't laugh at me again. It's rude."

Goofy patted Ventus' shoulder sympathetically as Donald waddled away.

"Don't worry about Donald. He's always had a short fuse, but he's usually all bark and no bite."

"...Usually." Ventus raised an eyebrow as Goofy walked past him and Aqua.

"...Just wait until you meet everyone else. They're all very nice." Aqua smiled at him.

 _Hopefully, not as 'nice' as that duck...._ Ventus started to sweat nervously as Aqua led him inside.

They headed up the stairs, following Donald and Goofy as they led them up to Yen Sid's room. Goofy opened the door for them, and Ventus suddenly felt anxious as all eyes fell on him.

"U-um...hi. I'm Ventus. Call me Ven." He averted their gazes temporarily, until one person in particular caught his eye. Ventus' mind went blank as he stared at a boy who looked exactly like him. The other boy seemed just as confused.

"............"

"Whoa, uh..." Lea rubbed his eyes. "Am I going crazy, or did you just duplicate yourself?"

Ventus looked over at Lea. His eyes lit up with recognition.

"Wait...Lea?"

Lea blinked. He gasped and pointed at Ventus.

"Ohhhh....NOW I see the difference! I remember you specifically! Ventus! You definitely kicked my butt the first time we met."

Ventus shrugged and nodded in agreement. Roxas appeared skeptical about it. He couldn't picture a boy with his same build (and more scrawny than him at the moment) beating Lea in a fight. Ventus scowled from the look Roxas was giving him.

"...What? It's true. I'll prove it when I feel better."

"...MAN, I'm just meeting old friends left and right!" Lea chuckled, failing to notice the obvious tension in the room.

Aqua cleared her throat. "Ven! This is Roxas. Roxas, Ventus."

Ventus scratched his head. He was at a loss for words now. Roxas stood up and decided to say something.

"...For the record, this wasn't my fault. Sora does a lousy job at differentiating between people in his heart."

Ventus tilted his head, considering what his apparent twin that he never knew existed had said. He nodded.

"...Ok. I'll buy it. But this..." He pointed at himself and at Roxas. "This is still weird."

"Absolutely." Roxas nodded in agreement.

"It's also kinda cool."

Roxas shrugged. "Sure? Why not."

"They even _sound_ the same...." Goofy whispered to Donald. The duck rolled his eyes.

Aqua facepalmed. She couldn't blame them for being awkward about it, but she still felt some second-hand embarrassment.

"Ok, Ven. Let's get you some food before you collapse or blow a fuse."

"Yes!" Ventus fist pumped, ignoring her side comments. He was ecstatic at the very mention of food.

"Kairi? Riku? Do you know where to get some food?"

Kairi shuffled her feet. "...Actually....we decided to make some food while you were gone. None of us have eaten much recently...so I came up with the idea, and Riku pulled out some recipes. It's only a floor down, in the training room. It's the widest room in this tower."

"I don't think I can handle another spaceship ride right now, so thank you." Ventus rubbed his head.

Kairi smiled. "Don't mention it."

Kairi led the group to the training room. They gawked at the table full of food in the center. Ventus was already drooling.

"Eat up!" Kairi grinned as the group rushed past her and went for the food immediately. Ventus had already scarfed down two bread rolls and went for the chicken. He ended up fighting over a leg with Roxas until Riku cut them off and seperated them. He took off the second leg and gave each of them the individual pieces.

"There's this thing called 'sharing'. You two should try it sometime."

"We already share each other's faces...." Ventus mumbled. He bit off a piece of the chicken and plopped down in his seat.

"Hey, that was a good one! Up top!" Lea raised his hand towards Riku, who gave him a cold glare.

"...No."

Lea slumped. "Aw come on, don't leave me hanging! You can't still be mad about that one time!"

Lea kept his hand raised, waiting for Riku to react. Riku rolled his eyes and decided to humor him. He gave Lea a high five.

"See? That wasn't so hard." Lea patted his back with a bit of force.

"Do that again. See what happens."

"Ok!" Lea raised his hands and backed away. He turned towards Roxas and covered the side of his face that Riku could see.

"...We're totally bonding," he mouthed. Roxas gave him a thumbs up. He wasn't 100% what Lea had just said, but he went with it.

Once they were all finished with the main course, Lea pulled out a cooler from underneath the table. He opened it, revealing several sticks of ice cream. He handed the first one over to Roxas.

"The icing on the cake." Lea winked.

Roxas pulled the wrapper off and took a bite. His eyes lit up with wonder.

"...It's salty...and sweet."

He blinked a few times, suddenly remembering something. Roxas chuckled, running his hand through his hair.

"...That's funny. I've already said that before."

Lea passed out the rest of the ice cream to the others, even leaving a spare one in the cooler for Yen Sid. Tears started to stream down Ventus' face.

"Wow! This flavor is so unique! What is it, Lea?" Mickey asked.

"Sea-Salt ice cream. I made a pit stop at Twilight Town to pick these up for you guys. I think I got the 'Corridor of Light' shtick down now." Lea laid back in his chair with a content expression.

"...This is...so good...." Ventus choked back a sob as he slammed his fist on the table, lowering his head.

"Ven? Are you alright?" Aqua placed a hand on his back.

"I haven't eaten real food in years. Of course I'm not alright."

Aqua let out a tiny sigh of relief. He was just being overdramatic. She took a bite of the ice cream and smiled, genuinely enjoying the flavor. Donald spit it out, rubbing his tongue with his hands.

"YUCK! I REMEMBER THIS TERRIBLE TASTE!!!"

The small group laughed as Donald started spouting unintelligible, angry words at them. Goofy shook his head, chortling as he tried calming Donald down along with Mickey.

\-----------

The sound of keyblades scraping against each other echoed across the empty room. Sparks flew as the two wielders clashed one more time, coming to a standstill. Sora wiped the sweat off of his brow as his opponent lowered his weapon. Vanitas scoffed and walked over to the small table and sat down on the chair. He put his feet up on the table casually.

**_"Ok. I'm done."_ **

Sora, not quite knowing what to do with himself, lied his back on the wall with his arms crossed.

"...You just got bored, didn't you."

Vanitas raised his arms. **_"What can I say? You might be strong and have adequate endurance, but you're just too slow. You'd think you'd be faster, what with all the power Xehanort gave you and the fact that you can teleport."_**

"I don't like teleporting. It makes me feel sick."

Vanitas scoffed. **_"Well, tough luck. You're gonna have to get used to it if you even want to stand a chance against those 'Guardians of Light'."_**

"....." Sora rubbed his head.

"...Hey. I have one question for you."

Vanitas waved his hand. **_"Ugh. Ask away, I guess."_**

"...What...exactly do you want?"

Vanitas tensed up. What kind of question was that?

**_"...Elaborate."_ **

"I mean if there's something driving you to do all this. Like a higher purpose, or some sort of goal." Sora stared at the ground.

"...I don't really have one. And if I do, I have no idea what it is."

**_"Tch."_ ** __Vanitas took off his helmet. It was starting to get rather stuffy wearing it._ _

____

____

**_"A moron till the very end. But if you must know, I'll let you in on a little secret."_ **

Vanitas motioned for Sora to approach. Sora got slightly closer, wary of what Vanitas would do.

**_"...It doesn't concern you. Stop asking questions."_ **

Sora frowned.

"In that case, you don't even have to tell me. It's written all over your face." he closed his eyes.

"...You want to be whole again."

Vanitas grabbed Sora's coat. He was already out of his seat.

 ** _"...What, you like getting into my head like they do? Disgusting."_** He shoved Sora back.

 _ **"Just beat it, kid. Bother someone else for a change."**_ Vanitas walked back to the table and put his helmet on. Sora disappeared without another word.

Vanitas shut his eyes.

 _ **"...Good to know you're still alive, idiot."**_ He placed a hand on his chest.

**_"...I think it's about time I ditched this circus of freaks. At least for a little while."_ **

\--------

"Ok everyone. Are we all set?"

Aqua faced the small group of keyblade wielders, along with Donald and Goofy. It had been two entire weeks of rest and practice, but they simply couldn't hold off on their missions for any longer. They had to figure out when and where the Organization was going to strike. Aqua glanced back at Yen Sid to see if he objected to anything. He nodded, signaling that she could continue. Aqua took a deep breath.

"I've taken the initiative to split us all into groups. To help with our teamwork, I've mixed things up a little."

"...Kairi. You'll be going with me and Donald to a world known as 'Montressor Spaceport'. Roxas, Ventus, and Goofy, you'll be going to 'DunBroch Castle'. And finally...Riku, Lea, and Mickey. You'll be going to a much more distant world called 'Land of the Dead'. I don't know much about this place...so be careful."

"Each of these locations have traces of the Organization's presence, according to Yen Sid and his enchanted book. Do not let your guard down, especially if you run into one of the members. Keep each other safe."

The group nodded unanimously. Goofy and Donald saluted.

"I'll be sure ta keep Roxas and Ventus safe, Master Aqua!" Goofy said with a serious expression. The two boys glanced at each other awkwardly.

"And I'll make sure that my magic is in top shape!" Donald nodded sharply.

Aqua smiled. "Thank you, Donald. Goofy. Your enthusiasm is always appreciated."

Lea approached and patted Roxas' shoulder. "...Good luck, buddy."

"Same to you. And try not to upset Riku." Roxas chuckled.

Lea looked at Riku from the corner of his eye. He seemed to be mildly irritated.

"...If I don't make it, you can have my secret stash of ice cream," Lea whispered. "...You can also have my old chakrams. Not like I'll be needing 'em any time soon."

"Come on, just try to relax. You'll be fine. Now go and try being friendly." 

Roxas pushed Lea towards Riku and Mickey. Lea laughed nervously. scratching his head. Mickey seemed genuinely happy to see him. Riku was flat-out ignoring him.

 _Yeah...we're off to a great start. Juust great._ Lea sighed.

\---------

Kairi was struggling to adjust the armor that was now attached to her arm. It was a little loose. Riku and the others had left already.

"Here, let me help." Aqua lifted Kairi's arm and tightened the armor, then lifted one of the sleeves onto her shoulder.

"That should do it. Move your arm."

Kairi lifted it up and down. It wouldn't budge.

"Thanks, Aqua!" Kairi beamed at her. Aqua laughed, putting her hands on her hips.

"Any minute now!" Donald tapped his foot impatiently.

Kairi pouted. "Sorry, Donald...."

Donald shook his head. "It's fine. It's gonna be a little weird driving the gummi ship all by myself..." he patted the hull.

"...I wonder if Goofy feels the same way, driving the other one. I hope he doesn't crash it..."

"Don't worry, Donald. He's got Ventus and Roxas flying right beside him, just like we'll be with you." Aqua smiled.

"...Yeah, you're right!" Donald said. "I'm sure everything will work out! I've got nothing to worry about!"

Kairi noticed his tail feather quivering. She made a mental note to congratulate him once they made it to the other world.

"Well, we're ready when you are, Donald." Aqua tapped the metal device on her arm. It lit up and surrounded her body with light. Once it settled, Kairi finally got to see what real keyblade armor looked like for the very first time. It was reminiscent of the original design, with a few more shades of blue and silver. She tossed her keyblade up into the air. Kairi's mouth opened in awe as it transformed into a glider.

"...Wow..."

Aqua hopped onto her glider and looked at Kairi.

"Alright. Now it's your turn."

Kairi nodded. She pressed the device as Aqua did, then turned her keyblade into a glider as well. Unlike Aqua's, it didn't have a handle to hold onto. It did at least have grooves on the bottom for her to put her feet in and keep her from falling off. Kairi cautiously stepped onto it. She had a bit of difficulty maintaining her balance as the glider shifted from left to right.

"Easy. Just hold your ground and make sure that your feet are straight. Your knees need to be bent slightly as well. It's kind of like riding a skateboard. At least, that's what Ventus used to tell me...."

Aqua huffed.

"...Sorry. I'm a little new to teaching."

"No no, that's really solid advice." Kairi wobbled a little and gave Aqua a thumbs up.

"You're doing great! Don't doubt yourself, Aqua."

"...Thank you." Aqua nervously clasped her hands together.

"I'm ready!" Donald waved at them from inside the ship. It was already floating up in the air. Kairi and Aqua nodded.

"Just tilt forward slightly, and will your keyblade to move. Imagine that you're fighting with it."

Kairi closed her eyes, concentrating as she took Aqua's words to heart. A few seconds passed, and she suddenly shot forward. Aqua and Donald flew beside her and nodded. She looked forward and felt her heart soar.

She was doing it. She was _flying._

\--------

"Well, well. What brings a little scamp like you ta my humble abode?"

Vanitas tossed a claw at the pirate's feet. The others unsheathed their swords, aiming them at his neck. The boy was unfazed by it.

**_"Your crewmate, Mr. Scroop, is indisposed. Permanently."_ **

"Why, you dirty little-!"

He raised his hand. The other pirates lowered their weapons. Vanitas saw the pirate's eye glowing as it scanned him. The captain of the ship sneered.

"...Heh. I like the way you think, boy. Is there...something ye wanted in exchange?

Vanitas crossed his arms.

**_"...Membership. I want in."_ **

The cyborg laughed, slamming his fist a few times on his desk. He wiped a tear from his robotic eye.

"...Alright. Let's see what ye've got ta offer."

\--------

Just as they made it to the new world, Kairi congratulated Donald as she promised to herself. He cheered uo considerably after that. Kairi looked at the ancient wooden ships, hovering up in the air. A two-headed octopus bumped into her.

"Ah, sorry!" Kairi said, raising her hands over her mouth. The octopus made a strange gargling sound and slithered past her. Aqua approached Kairi and smiled.

"Careful. This isn't the time to be spacing out."

"....Was...was that a _pun?"_ Kairi tilted her head.

"Oh, boy...." Donald sighed wearily.

Aqua winked as she walked past her. Kairi followed her with an amused expression, while Donald trailed a bit behind the girls. The three of them suddenly yelped and dodged a glider that shot in between them. Aqua raised her hand over her eyes to block the sunlight and get a better view of the person that nearly rammed into them. She gasped.

"....No....it _can't_ be...!"

"HEY! COME BACK!"

Aqua, Kairi, and Donald glanced at a young boy running towards them. His jacket and his pants were slightly big on him. He skidded to halt in front of the girls.

"Did you see a guy in a helmet pass by here?!"

Kairi nodded quickly. "He almost crushed us with that glider!"

"Well, that glider is MINE." The boy ruffled his hair in frustration. "The cops have taken it enough times. I'm NOT losing it to some punk!"

Aqua placed a hand on her chin and looked down, thinking. She glanced back up at the boy.

"...We'll help you. We have gliders of our own."

"WHAT?!" Donald shouted. "YOU CAN'T DO THAT! YOU'LL BE MESSING WITH THE WORLD ORDER!"

"It's ok, Donald. This is perfectly fine. We're not breaking any rules by doing this." Aqua gave him a reassuring smile.

The boy's eyes lit up. "...Seriously? In that case, can I borrow one of them?"

"No. But you can join us. Kairi, do you mind?"

Kairi blinked. "...You want me to share mine?"

Aqua leaned towards her ear. "...If this boy knows how to fly a glider properly, he can help you out. He seems nice enough."

Kairi squinted her eyes as the boy buried his hands into his pockets, whistling as he waited for an answer.

"...You can't just assume based on appearances, especially since he JUST talked about avoiding the police....but fine. I'll do it since I want to help."

"Great!" Aqua clapped her hands together. "You'll be going with Kairi then, errr...."

"Jim. Call me Jim." He pulled his hand out of his pocket and shook Aqua's hand, then Kairi's.

"Ok, so where are your gliders?"

Kairi and Aqua summoned their keyblades and transformed them into gliders quickly. No one else around them seemed to notice, except for Jim who gawked at the shiny devices. Donald watched them with an agonized expression.

"...So many rules were broken just now..."

"...That....is _awesome."_ Jim grinned at them.

Aqua placed a finger over her mouth. She suddenly got very serious.

"Not a word of this to anyone. I'll erase your memories if you do."

Jim nodded vigorously. He hopped onto Kairi's glider and looked very natural as he moved it around. Kairi looked over at Aqua.

"...Can you..actually do that? Is that a spell you know?!"

Aqua smiled mischievously.

"...Nope. But he doesn't need to know that."

Kairi giggled. That was pretty clever. She didn't know that Aqua had a fun side...or that she was a very good liar. Even she was almost convinced.

"Alright you two. Let's go catch that thief!" Aqua got on her glider and flew in the direction of where the glider had gone. Kairi wobbled a little as she got on her glider with Jim, who kept her from losing her footing. 

"This is a really good design for a glider. But you seem pretty unsure about yourself."

"I'm kinda new to this. Sorry." Kairi winced.

"Hey, no need to worry. Everyone starts somewhere." Jim pressed down, and Kairi's glider started revving.

"Just do what I do. And hold on tight."

Kairi nodded, determined to do well. She pressed down like Jim did, and the glider blasted forward and up into the sky.

"HEY!" Donald waved his hands. He fell the his knees dramatically.

"...They left without me..."

Kairi's left leg and Jim's right leg controlled the glider as a whole, with Jim occasionally balancing it out if it started to tilt. They soon caught up with Aqua, who was already a few feet away from the theif.

"Jim! Kairi! Get behind me!" Aqua sped up a little, narrowing her eyes.

"I'm going to cut him off. You two will block him if he tries to escape."

Aqua shot herself high into the air, turning her glider in the thief's direction. She breathed in, closing her eyes. She let herself fall diagonally, aiming her glider at the theif. Aqua spun a few times and swooped underneath the glider before ending up right in front of him. The boy in the helmet turned off the rocket that was propelling him forward. They both stared at each other in tense silence. Aqua grimaced as Vanitas started cackling.

**_"...Well, well. If it isn't the ice queen. Shouldn't you be dead?"_ **

"I could say the same about you." Aqua crossed her arms.

 _ **"Touché. Not like it matters, though."**_ Vanitas summoned his keyblade.

**_"I'm going to enjoy wiping the floor with you."_ **

Kairi's eyes widened.

"...A keyblade...? Who...is that...?"

She recognized the glowing eyes on the weapon. It made her shudder instinctively.

They all turned their heads when they heard sirens. Vanitas glanced back at Aqua.

**_"Hmph. To be continued."_ **

Vanitas threw himself off the glider and vanished into a dark portal. Kairi slowly flew her glider towards Jim's. He jumped onto it and turned the rocket back on.

"I gotta take this back home real quick. I'm already on probation. If those cops catch me here again, I'll never hear the end of it from my mom...." Jim rubbed the back of his neck.

"...Could you guys go back to the port? There's a guy over there, an old friend of hers. Looks kinda like a dog. His name is Dr. Doppler. Tell him to wait for me."

Kairi sighed. "...Alright. But you owe us for this."

"And I'll pay you guys back. Eventually." Jim laughed nervously.

Aqua shook her head. "Alright. Go on. Before I change my mind."

Jim nodded and prepared to press down on the pedal. He was stopped by two giant robots wearing police uniforms.

Jim huffed. "...Oh, great. Just what I needed."

\--------

"Ohh, Jim. Why must you always make things so difficult?!"

Dr. Delbert Doppler reluctantly paid the officers a hefty fine to keep Jim out of juvenile hall. Sarah would never forgive him if she learned about this. The two young ladies and a small duck that had been accompanying Jim had been kind enough to help pay with pieces of gold they called 'munny'. He'd never heard such a terminology for currency before, but gold was gold.

"...Sorry, doc. I know I screwed up. Again." Jim lowered his head.

The doctor was no good with words, but he couldn't stand seeing the boy so upset. Dr. Doppler awkwardly tapped his shoulder. Jim looked up.

"Cheer up, Jim my boy. In case you forgot, we are going on an incredible expedition! The voyage of a lifetime!" Dr. Doppler pointed at the ship behind them.

"The RLS Legacy. Isn't it beautiful?" His eyes lit up with excitement as he gazed at the ship. Jim smiled faintly.

"It certainly is, doctor." Aqua grinned. "...But I suppose it's time for us to leave. Kairi, Donald, let's go."

 _"Not so fast."_ the police officers grabbed Aqua, Kairi, and Donald by the arms.

_"You three were with a well-known delinquent in a restricted area. You will be taken into temporary custody for further questioning."_

_"I wasn't even with them!!!"_ Donald started to throw a fit. Kairi suddenly felt very guilty. She'd taken a step backwards bonding with the temperamental duck.

 _"Excuse me?!?"_ Aqua raised her voice indignantly. "We don't have time for this! We even paid some of that fine!!!"

_"Then you should have thought ahead before you broke the law."_

The officer started to drag them away. Jim ran towards them and blocked the officer's path.

"Hold it!"

_"Step aside, dead-ender."_

"Just hear me out! These guys are with me!"

Kairi and Aqua looked at him with surprised expressions. The officer loosened his grip.

_"...What are you implying."_

"What I'm saying is that these three...are part of the ship's crew! You can't arrest them if they're supposed to be on an expedition that's leaving today!"

Jim sighed. "...And besides. I was the one who broke the rules. Not them. If they get on this ship, they'll be out of the way and you won't have to deal with them. Just like you won't have to deal with me."

The officer contemplated what Jim said. The other one coughed loudly as Aqua, Kairi, and Donald were released.

_"Enjoy your trip. Losers."_

The two officers rolled away. Dr. Doppler wiped his forehead with a handkerchief.

"Jim. I beg of you to not do something so risky again."

Kairi approached Jim, smiling. "...Thanks for helping us."

"I did say I would pay you guys back. Now we're even." Jim shrugged.

"Well, WE'RE not." Donald turned his head. "You all owe me an apology for abandoning me!!!"

"Donald...we're really sorry. We didn't mean it." Kairi timidly glanced back at Jim and Aqua with a pleading look. They both nodded in agreement.

Donald looked at Kairi with an irritated expression. But eventually, his gaze softened.

"...I just can't stay mad at you. But you'd better not do that again! We're supposed to stick together!"

Kairi nodded and smiled.

"Promise."

\-------

Kairi, Aqua and Donald, watched as the captain paced around them, scrutinizing all of their features. She soon stopped in front of them with her hands behind her back and a hard glare. Her eyes turned into slits as she glanced at Jim, who was lying on the wall to her room.

"...Mr. Hawkins. I am NOT at all pleased with you inviting unwelcome guests. Especially under the circumstances as to WHY."

Delbert raised his hand. "Captain, if I may interject-"

 _"Zip your flapping trap, Doctor._ It was imbecilic enough of you to nearly disclose dangerous confidential information around this...particular crew you hired." She scrunched up her nose in disgust.

He scoffed indignantly. _"Imbecilic?!_ I'll have you know that I-"

"You are NOT to speak back to Captain Amelia. SIR." The man made of stone narrowed his eyes at the doctor, who gulped and lowered his head into his suit slightly.

"Thank you, Mr. Arrow." The captain straightened her outfit, then walked over to Jim. She extended her hand towards him.

"...The map, please."

Jim tossed the golden ball at her. The captain caught it, and her eyes dilated slightly as she threw it up in the air and grabbed it again. She cleared her throat and walked rigidly towards a cupboard. She opened it and placed the ball inside a small box.

"The map shall remain in my quarters, under lock and key. I shall be the one to grant you permission to see it again, Mr. Hawkins. And as for the rest of you..." the captain glanced back and ended up fixating on Aqua. They glared at each other for a few minutes until the captain broke the silence and turned her gaze elsewhere.

"...Do not breathe a word of this to anyone else on this ship. If one of you does, I'll be sure to drop the perpetrator off at the nearest galaxy. Am I clear?"

They group nodded unanimously.

"Very good. Now then! Mr. Hawkins, Mr. Arrow will take you to the chef. His name is John Silver, and you shall be working with him for the rest of the voyage."

"Oh, come on! You can't be serious!" Jim shook his head, staring at her in disbelief.

The captain glowered at him. "Mr. Hawkins. Do not tempt me to send you back home. You may have found the map, but that doesn't mean that this will be a joyride for you."

Jim rolled his eyes.

"...Fine. Whatever."

She raised her eyebrows at him. Jim groaned.

"...Yes, Ma'am."

"Better. Now get out." She pointed towards the exit.

Jim sulked as he left the captain's quarters. Kairi, Donald and Aqua gave him a worried look.

"I can't believe her! I was the one who found it. Why do I have to work for it?"

"...Maybe...the chef is friendly?" Kairi said, attempting to cheer him up. Jim sighed.

"...I hope so."

Jim and the others headed down the stairs and into the kitchen. They saw a large man cutting up strange vegetables and meat with a knife. Delbert cleared his throat.

"Excuse me. Are you Mr. Silver?"

"Hmm?" The man wiped his hands on his apron and turned around. He grinned. Jim stared at him in shock, noticing all of the robotic enhancements the man had attached to his body. 

"...The cyborg...!" He whispered.

"Oh! Hello there! I don't often get so much company down here." Silver rubbed his nose and limped towards them. He stuck out his mechanical hand towards Jim, who simply took a step back and frowned.

Silver retracted his hand. "Ahhh, I know. Me metal parts are a lot ta take in. I'll take no offense ta that."

"...Ye all look so tense! Sit down and take a load off. I've just about finished me famous bonzabeast stew."

Silver continued to chop up ingredients and toss them into a large bowl. He pretended to cut off his normal hand, startling Kairi at first then making her laugh in relief. Aqua saw the humor in it as well. Jim and Donald did not. Delbert was just nervous, then jumped a little as Silver placed a bowl of his stew in front of him. He gave everyone else their own bowls as well.

"Go on, try it. What do ya think?"

Dr. Doppler licked the soup. His eyes opened a little more.

"Mmm! Very tangy and robust!"

Silver grinned. "It's a old family recipe."

Delbert continued to lick until he felt something touch his tongue. He looked down and saw an eyeball staring back at him.

"AUGH!!!!"

Delbert pulled the bowl away from his face. Kairi gagged on her own soup when she saw rhe doctor's with an eyeball floating around in it. Aqua set hers down, sweating nervously. Jim just picked at his soup while Donald stared at it blankly.

"As a matter of fact, that was part of the family!" Silver laughed hysterically as he picked up the eyeball and chucked it into his mouth. Kairi stuck out her tongue in disgust.

Delbert stood up, straightening his neckerchief.

"Well! I suppose that's our cue to leave. You heard the captain, Jim. You stay here. The rest of you come with me, I suppose."

"The two ladies shall assist in raising the sails. Doctor, you will join the captain in charting the course."

They all looked up at Mr. Arrow, who was at the top of the staircase with his arms behind his back.

"...What about me?" Donald asked nervously.

"You will be joining me to ensure there's no funny business from the rest of the crew. The captain does not tolerate lollygagging, so get to work." Mr. Arrow turned and stomped away. The four of them reluctantly went after him. Kairi turned back for a split second and waved.

"Bye, Jim!" She spun around and disappeared up the stairs. He made an indistinct nod at her as Silver approached him.

"...So. The lovely captain put ye with me."

"Yup." Jim pulled at his silver spoon and watched it vibrate. He put it back in the bowl, then watched in shock as it created a mouth and consumed the entire soup. He blinked as it transfomred into a small pink blob. It chirped and licked his face.

"What is this thing?"

 _"What is this thing?"_ the blob mimicked. It flew around Jim, inspecting him for some reason.

Jim poked it and watched as it dispersed into pieces, then rearranged itself. He chuckled.

"Morph, ya little rascal! Is that where ye've been this entire time?" Silver laughed as it flew up to him and rubbed his cheek.

Jim smiled a little. It faded when he remembered who exactly he was dealing with. Silver noticed the change in the boy's demeanor.

"...Somethin' I can help ye with, lad?"

Jim shrugged, looking down. He got up and put his hands in his pockets, pacing around the room.

"...I uh, ran into a guy the other day. He said he knew a cyborg, kinda like you."

"Is that so?" Silver hummed as he turned towards the counter and turned his cybernetic hand into a knife. He grabbed a plum and cut in half, then offered the other piece to Jim. The boy reluctantly took it and laid his back against the wall, next to a small barrel.

"Yeah. What was that old lizard's name...?" Jim rubbed his head, looking up with squinted eyes for a moment. He turned his eyes down towards Silver, eyeing him suspiciously.

"That's right. Bones. Billy Bones." Jim took a bite of the plum.

Silver scrunched up his nose. "Bones? _Bones?"_ he shrugged and placed the now empty bowl of stew into the sink.

"Nope, can't say that I've ever heard of a Bones."

Jim narrowed his eyes. Silver ignored the look the boy was giving him and waved his hand dismissively.

"...Go on, Jimbo. Watch the launch. It's a once-in-a-lifetime experience, so ye oughta enjoy it."

Jim turned around and left, heading up the stairs rather quickly. Silver scratched Morph's head and gave him a small cookie to chew on.

"...Well, Morph. We best keep an eye on this...small pup."

Meanwhile, Jim caught up to Kairi and Aqua. They had just finished helping with the sails and were looking out at the horizon. Donald waddled over to them after a while as well. They were all quiet as the faint breeze started to pick up.

"All hands on deck! Prepare for takeoff! And make sure that the artificial gravity is fully functional!" Captain Amelia shouted. She put her hands behind her back with a stern expression as Delbert approached her.

"Brace youself, doctor."

Delbert mouthed her words in irritation, choosing to ignore her request. The ship propelled forward, sending the doctor flying backwards while she was unfazed by it. Amelia stifled a laugh as his body suit fell apart. He crashed into a wall of wood, right next to the door to her quarters.

Jim jumped onto the edge of the ship and grabbed the rope attached to the sails. He looked back at his home, getting smaller by the second as they headed into deep space. He took a breath, absorbing everything he could see and feel. Kairi and Aqua did the same, while Donald's teeth clattered from the drop in temperature. Once the doctor freed himself from the useless body suit, he scrambled toward the side of the ship and straightened his glasses. A massive animal swam past the ship, glancing at the three teens. Kairi waved excitedly at it.

"Upon my word....an _Orcus Galacticus._ " Delbert smiled, pulling out a camera from his pocket and aiming it at the large creature.

"Smile!"

Amelia raised her hand. "Err, Doctor, I wouldn't do tha-"

The captain was cut off by the sound of the whale blasting water and other questionable things directly at the doctor's face. She snorted. Donald and the teens laughed at him. Kairi then went off to fetch a towel for the poor man. Today simply wasn't his day.

"The vast expanse of space. Ain't it a pretty sight?"

Aqua and Kairi looked over at Silver, who had appeared out of nowhere. The chef took his hat off to Captain Amelia, bowing in respect. It only served to sour her mood.

"Mr. Silver. Why is your cabin boy roaming about the ship?"

She pointed at Jim, who had climbed up a bit higher onto the rope. He put his hat back on, twiddling his thumbs.

"I just thought the lad would like ta see the ship set off, and take a gander at all that the open air has ta offer."

"He can do plenty of that working. See that you give him something to do. The same goes for you three." The Captain glared at Kairi, Donald and Aqua specifically, then turned around and headed up to the steering wheel. Silver crossed his arms, then glanced up at Jim.

"Jimbo, me lad! A word?"

Jim looked down at him. Silver put his hands behind his back.

"I've got two new friends for ye to meet!"

The boy's eyes lit up.

"...I'd like ta introduce ye to Mr. Mop...and Mrs. Bucket." He threw the two items at Jim, who grabbed them with ease. He seemed annoyed as Silver started laughing at him.

"...Yippee."

\-----------

Jim was still mopping the floor as Kairi, Aqua and Donald were forced to leave him for other errands around the ship. He wiped a bit of sweat forming on his brow with his sleeve. He suddenly felt someone purposefully bump into him. He glanced over and saw that it was the guy in the helmet. Since when was he a part of the crew...?

**_"Watch it."_ **

Jim inhaled sharply, gritting his teeth. This guy...he seriously had some nerve. Only two seconds had passed, and he was already ticked off.

"You watch it, _creep."_

Vantias stopped. He slowly turned his head.

**_"....Care to repeat that?"_ **

"You heard me." Jim rested his hands on the tip of the mop, scowling. "What are hiding under that stupid mask, anyways?"

**_"None of your business."_ **

Jim scoffed. "...You're probably too much of a coward to take it off."

Vanitas grabbed Jim by the shirt and raised him up. He slammed Jim's back against the wooden pole in the center of the ship. A small posse showed up and started chanting for a fight as Jim struggled against Vanitas' solid grip.

 ** _"...You know, I haven't made another person scream in a really long time."_** Vanitas summoned his weapon, pressing it against Jim's cheek.

**_"...I wonder...how easy would it be to make you bleed?"_ **

Vanitas tensed up when he felt something forcefully grab his arm. It was Silver, casually chewing on another plum.

"Now then, Vanitas." Silver rotated the plum in his free hand.

"...Do ye know what happens to a plum when you squeeze _real hard?"_

Silver pressed down with his cybernetic hand until Vanitas finally dropped his weapon. It clattered against the floor and vanished. Vanitas shook off the pain, but it was still throbbing. The feeling bothered him immensely.

"What's going on here?!?"

The crew stopped chanting. Silver stepped aside as Mr. Arrow marched towards them. He loomed above Vanitas, glaring angrily at the young man.

"The Captain will not tolerate any roughhousing upon this vessel, and neither shall I. Understood?"

Vanitas crossed his arms. He could sense Silver's eyes burning into him.

**_"...Sure."_ **

Mr. Arrow remained unconvinced, but he decided to leave it at that. He left just as Kairi and Aqua ran past him to see what all the commotion was about. Aqua was automatically enraged at the mere sight of Vanitas, while Kairi ran over to Jim and helped him stand up. Jim looked over at Silver and smiled a little.

"...Thanks."

Silver winked at Jim. He rubbed his head as he looked back at Vanitas with a seemingly apologetic expression.

"Run along. Before ye start somethin' else."

 ** _"Tch."_** Vanitas strolled past them and headed down the stairs to the brig.

 _"You know him?"_ Aqua's tone was sharp and cold.

"...The poor lad was close ta death when I found him, so I let him join me merry crew. He's got a bit of a temper, that one." Silver took off his hat and put it against his chest dramatically. Aqua frowned at him.

"...Have a heart, lass. I only did it outta the kindness in me own. Is that so wrong?"

Her gaze softened slightly. Aqua raised two of her fingers to her eyes, then pointed them back at him.

"I'll be watching you."

Silver shrugged as Aqua walked away. Kairi looked up at him.

"...She usually isn't like that. Aqua... _really_ doesn't like that guy for some reason. She hasn't told me why yet."

Silver waved his hand dismissively. "It's alright. I'm used ta gettin' the cold shoulder. Sad ta say, but most people don't trust this old sailor."

"...I'm sure if you keep working at it, you can do better." Kairi smiled.

Silver was a bit surprised by her optimism. He grinned a little.

"...Heh. That would certainly be somethin', lass."

\-----------

For the next few days, Silver kept Jim and his friends busy. Pulling barnacles off the bottom of the ship, washing piles upon piles of dirty plates, swabbing the deck constantly since the crew members always left it a mess. Vanitas would go the extra mile and let his Unversed scratch up or even tear out pieces of the floor, which took even longer for them to fix. Aqua was just about ready to teach the boy a rough lesson, but Kairi always stopped her before she could start anything. Donald had even gotten terribly ill after eating a bad dish. Aqua suspected Vanitas had something to do with it, since he kept doing things to them out of pure spite.

On the other hand, Jim and Silver seemed to be forming an unusual, friendly bond. Kairi saw it as the biggest highlight of the trip. She was happy to see that Silver took the time to teach Jim certain things, or even go exploring on a short joyride. Sometimes they even let her tag along. Jim was an excellent mechanic and pilot, from what Kairi could see as he occasionally patched up thrusters for the smaller ships. Some of his flight patterns were slightly reckless, but she knew he was just doing it for fun.

Kairi was looking out on the edge of the ship one night, since she finally finished up everything. Hopefully that Vanitas wouldn't wreck her moment of reverie. She was a little curious as to what he actually looked like, though. He still hadn't taken that weird helmet off.

"Figured you'd be out here."

"Hmm?" Kairi looked over at Jim. He waved and stood next to her. Their hair moved slightly as the breeze picked up a little.

"...Hey, Kairi?"

"Yeah?"

Jim rubbed his head.

"...Is there...anyone you look up to?"

Kairi stared at him questioningly.

"...What brought this on?"

Jim shrugged. "...I dunno. I'm just curious, I guess."

A brief image flashed in Kairi's head. The calm, soothing voice of a woman telling her a story, holding her hand as she skipped down a road. She shook her head, wondering where that thought came from.

Jim's eyes darted from left to right. He leaned towards her.

"...Don't tell anyone this, 'cause it's kinda sappy...but I kinda like Silver now."

Kairi blinked. "Really?"

Jim rubbed his head, looking to the side.

"...I...kinda see him as the father figure I never had. I feel dumb for thinking that, but I needed to get it off my chest." Jim chuckled.

"Aww, that's so sweet!" Kairi placed a hand on his shoulder.

"...You should go talk to him about it."

"What? No way! That's too embarrassing to bring up..." Jim rubbed his arm.

Kairi and Jim gasped as the ship shuddered abruptly, then propelled forward.

"Jimbo! Kairi! Front and center!"

Jim and Kairi ran over to Silver, who was holding his hat as the breeze suddenly became stronger.

"What's happening?!" Kairi exclaimed.

_"All hands on deck!!! Raise the sails immediately, and get your lifelines!!!"_

Mr. Arrow stormed past them. Jim and Kairi looked around frantically until their eyes fell on a bright light. It exploded in front of the ship. Everyone on the ship covered their eyes.

"WAAK!!! WE'RE ALL GONNA DIE!!!" Donald scrambled for the staircase, but Aqua caught him by the arm. He looked up at her and laughed nervously as she shook her head.

"Good heavens!!! That massive star....it's gone _supernova!!!"_ Dr. Doppler pulled out a telescope from his pocket to get a better look at it. Captain Amelia snatched it from him.

"This isn't the time for sightseeing, doctor! I need your expertise on how to get _away_ from it!!!" She gripped the steering wheel of the ship with all her might after one of the crew members was flung off of it.

Dr. Doppler gulped, fixing his glasses to his face.

"...W-well...raising the sails was a good first choice. The ship should be fast enough to escape the explosion if you can turn it around. We would only be in serious trouble if the star evolved into a-"

The explosion imploded upon itself, forming a wide, dark gap in the center. It began sucking the ship in, sending out massive waves of heat towards the ship.

"....Black. Hole."

The crew broke into hysteria, scrambling around the ship with no rhyme or reason. Jim and the others watched with unease.

"ENOUGH, YOU PACK OF PATHETIC COWARDS!!!!"

The crew came to a standstill, gazing up at the captain. Her eyes shot toward Jim.

"MR. HAWKINS! ENSURE THAT EVERYONE IS ATTACHED TO A LIFELINE AND SECURE THEM! EVERYONE ELSE, LOWER THE SAILS!!!"

"But we just raised 'em!" A shrill voice piped in. "Can't ye make up yer bloomin' mind?!"

Captain Amelia gave the crew a death glare. They said nothing else as they scurried up the masts and went to lower the sails. Jim checked all of the lifelines and tightened them, then climbed up the main mast by the ratline to assist in lowering the sails. The moment he got to the top, another wave slammed into the ship. SIlver yelled as it knocked him off the mast.

 _"Silver!!!"_ Jim grabbed his lifeline and pulled him back up before he could fly off the edge of the ship. Silver took a breath of relief, patting the boy's shoulder.

"Thanks, lad."

"There should be one more wave after the one that just passed!!!" Dr. Doppler said loudly.

"That's the one that will take us out of here!!! Keep lowering the sails!!!" Captain Amelia grunted as she kept struggling to steer the ship. It gradually began to tilt in the direction she wanted, then ended up facing the black hole from behind in a diagonal angle.

Once the sails were all down, Captain Amelia let go of the wheel and ducked for cover. Silver covered Jim, while Aqua wrapped her arms around Kairi and Donald. They all shut their eyes as everything went dark.

The third and final wave occurred. It catapulted the ship right out of the black hole. The crew started to cheer as the ship restarted itself from the kinetic energy pushing it forward. Captain Amelia stepped aside and let the original crew member take charge of the wheel again. She turned to face the crew.

"Excellent work, everyone. It appears we got out rather unscathed. I suppose you could vouch for me on that, Mr. Arrow."

Captain Amelia's ear twitched as she furrowed her brow. She got no response from her second-in-command, nor did she see him in the crowd.

"...Mr. Arrow?"

Captain Amelia took a step back, startled when his hat dropped in front of her feet. Vanitas was there, crossing his arms.

**_"...His lifeline wasn't secure. Too bad."_ **

Captain Amelia gazed down at Jim with an unreadable expression, ears lowering. He shook his head in disbelief.

"No...I checked them all!!!" Jim ran towards the small sticks that had the lifelines tied to them. Mr. Arrow's line was gone.

"I...I checked them all..."

Jim fell to his knees. He punched the ground. SIlver eyed Vanitas, his mechanical eye turning a bit red. Vanitas walked away without another word.

Captain Amelia cleared her throat, having difficulty in maintaining her composure. Dr. Doppler placed a hand on her back. She took off her own hat, pressing it against her chest.

"Mr. Arrow was a...fine spacer. Finer than most of us could ever hope to be. But he knew the risks, as do we all. Resume your posts. We carry on." She put her hat back on and headed down the stairs towards her quarters. She slammed the door behind her.

Kairi's heart ached from seeing how devastated Jim was. She decided to leave him be since Silver was headed towards him. If there was anyone Jim needed support from right now, Silver was the best choice. She left with Donald and Aqua down into the kitchen area to give them some space.

Silver sat down next to Jim. He scratched his head, trying to think of a way to approach the boy in a conversation.

"...So. How are ye holdin' up, Jimbo?"

Jim said nothing. Silver sighed.

"...It wasn't yer fault, lad. Everyone makes mistakes. I can't even count the number of times I-"

_"I GET IT, OKAY?!? I SCREWED UP!!!"_

Jim covered his face with his hands.

"...I don't even know why I bothered thinking I could do something right for a change. I just...can't. They were all right about me."

Silver jutted out his bottom lip in frustration. He pushed himself up by the legs, dragging Jim up along with him. He put his hands on Jim's shoulders, facing him directly.

"Now you listen to me, James Hawkins. You got the makings of greatness in ya, but you got to take the helm and chart yer own course. Stick to it, no matter the squalls! And when the time comes you get the chance to really test the cut of your sails, and show what you're made of... well, I hope I'm there, catching some of the light coming off you that day." Silver released him, looking up at the speckled sky.

Jim teared up. He put his head on Silver's chest. Stunned at first, Silver didn't do anything as his arms were raised. He eventually caved and hugged the boy back.

Silver cleared his throat loudly. He pulled away from Jim and nudged the boy's arm with his hand.

"Go on and get some rest. It's been a long day, and I want you in top shape tomorrow. Ye got that?"

Jim nodded, rubbing his eyes a little with his sleeve. He walked away from Silver, then paused and looked back at him with a sincere smile. Silver waved as the boy left. Morph popped up, purring and nuzzling Silver's cheek.

"...This is startin' ta be a bit of a problem, Morphy. If I keep this up, me crew's gonna think I've gone soft..."

Silver rubbed the back of his neck, heading down the stairs to his room. He failed to notice a pair of glowing yellow eyes watching from above, alongside several distorted creatures surrounding the area within the shadows.

\--------

"...There it is. The Loot of a Thousand Worlds."

Dr. Doppler beamed with excitement as the ship neared Treasure Planet. Flint's trove was _real,_ just as they had all hoped.

Jim was chasing after Morph in the meantime. The tiny blob had stolen his shoe. Kairi and Aqua jumped back as he ran past them and down the hall.

"...I wonder what that was all about." Aqua smiled a little, putting a single hand on her hip.

Jim followed Morph into the kitchen, then threw himself into the barrel of plums. There were less than before inside, so Jim fit rather well. He took his shoe back and put it back on. He scratched under Morph's chin.

"Busted! Let's get out of here."

Jim poked his head out, then immediately lowered it when he heard angry voices. He flinched when something slammed against the barrel, making it shudder as it tilted then went back to normal. He cupped Morph into his hands to keep the blob from squealing out of fear.

_"ARE YE STARK-RAVING MAD?!?"_

That was...Silver? He heard another familiar voice starting to cackle maniacally.

**_"I don't know why you're so upset! He was annoying, and he was going to get in the way. I did what any sensible person would do given the situation. Or in your case...I did what any PIRATE would do."_ **

Jim's blood ran cold. Vanitas got up, dusting off his body suit.

Silver jabbed Vanitas' chest with his metallic finger.

_"It wasn't part of the plan, you twit. Ye were just BEGGIN' ta get attention. Yer actions screamed that ye were guilty of murderin' that man!!! Were ye TRYIN' ta blow our cover?!?"_

Jim couldn't believe what he was hearing. he dug his fingers into his hair.

 ** _"Oh, please. You wouldn't have said the same thing at the start of this trip."_** Vanitas shoved Silver back.

**_"...Admit it. That kid has made you soft."_ **

Silver bared his teeth furiously.

"...You listen to me, _the lot of ya!"_ Silver slammed his fist on a table. "I care about one thing, and one thing only! Not some nosy little boy that doesn't know when ta quit."

**_"...Hmph. I don't buy it. What about that garbage you told him last night? The 'makings of greatness' in him?"_ **

Silver smirked. "...I only told the boy what he wanted ta hear. Didn't mean a word of it."

Silver and Vanitas glared intensely at each other for a few minutes. Vanitas shrugged, turning away.

**_"...Whatever. I've still got my eye on you. I'm curious to see how this will play out."_ **

The crew, along with Vanitas, left Silver alone in the room. Jim slipped out of the barrel as quietly as possible, sneaking past Silver. He wasn't inconspicuous enough as Silver noticed him from the corner of his eye, just inches away from the stairs.

"Jimbo!"

Jim froze. He slowly turned his head.

"...Playin' games, are we?" Silver grinned, putting his hands behind his back as he approached.

Jim grimaced, walking over to a table nearby. Morph quivered inside his jacket.

"...Sure. We're playing games."

"...I've always been quite fond of them." Silver turned his cybernetic hand into a sword.

"Oh yeah?" Jim reached out to the table and picked up a knife.

_"Me too!"_

Silver cried out as Jim drove the knife into his peg leg. Jim stumbled up the stairs and headed for the captain's quarters. Silver limped outside and raised his sword up into the air.

"Change of plans! We move _now!"_

\---------

Captain Amelia pulled a gun out of the drawer underneath her desk. She tossed the small key to the cabinet at Jim. Dr. Dopper was twiddling his hands nervously.

"Pirates on my ship?! _I'll see them all hang!!!"_ Amelia cocked her gun.

"What are we going to do?!" Dr. Doppler said. "Those three are still out there with those nasty hooligans!!!"

"Our uninvited guests will be fine. Unlike you, they actually know how to fight." She pulled out a smaller gun and threw it at Delbert, who fumbled with it.

They ducked underneath the desk as lazers shot through the glass, leaving large holes in it. Captain Amelia started shooting back.

"Mr. Hawkins! See that you guard that map with your life! I'm going to make us an exit!"

Captain Amelia crawled over to the center of the room while Dr. Doppler took charge of shooting at the enemy. He flinched every single time the gun shot out a lazer. The captain started carving a hole into the wooden floor with a beam of light that her gun released.

Meanwhile, Aqua, Kairi, and Donald were fighting off a small horde of Unversed that had spawned out of nowhere. The pirates were attacking them as well, and it was starting to become overwhelming.

"I've got an idea!" Aqua slashed at an Unversed that tried leaping onto her.

"When I say 'now', we all use blizzard at the same time!"

"But what will that do?! WAK!" Donald smacked one of the Unversed in the face with his wand.

"Just trust me!"

Kairi and Donald looked at Aqua. They nodded sharply. The three of them took a few steps back until they were against each other.

"Steady...." Aqua whispered.

The Unversed charged at them.

"NOW!!!"

A massive explosion a ice magic erupted out of their weapons, covering the Unversed and freezing them entirely. It turned a couple of the pirates into popsicles as well.

**_"Enough."_ **

The Unversed vanished with a wave of the boy's hand. Aqua, Kairi, and Donald kept their fighting stances as Vanitas stalked towards them. His hand crackled with dark energy as his keyblade manifested.

**_"...You three are MINE."_ **

Vanitas went into the floor of the ship using the darkness. The trio raised their weapons as the tension grew. Aqua was the first to react as she deflected a direct attack to her back. She wasn't going to let him get away with that a second time. Aqua gasped as she heard Donald cry out from getting kicked in the face at full force.

"Heal!" Kairi casted Curaga on him. She barely avoided getting her head sliced off.

"Aqua, he's moving too fast! What do we do???"

"The moment you see him pop up again...we use our barrier magic at the same time!" Aqua squeezed on the hilt to her blade.

They heard Vanitas laughing at them as the darkness swarming underneath then multiplied. They gasped as he and several duplicates were suddenly surrounding them. He rushed the trio without hesitation.

_"Defend!"_

Vanitas yelled in frustration as they casted reflect magic. The recoil struck him directly in the gut, making the copies disappear. He teleported to Aqua and swung down. She blocked it, and they started pushing against each other. Sparks flew off their keyblades from the friction created. They both stopped when they heard a loud gunshot. Silver blew out the smoke coming from his cybernetic hand.

"I believe ye've had a bit too much freedom with the idea of takin' out people ye don't like, lad."

Vanitas glanced over at Silver. Seeing that he was finally distracted, Aqua leaned towards Donald.

"...Go to the control room. Do something to turn off the cannons. Jim and the others need to get out safely."

Donald nodded in understanding, then slipped away. It helped that he was small enough to not be noticed. He scrambled down to the bottomost floor of the ship and pulled at a heavy metallic door. He eventually melted off the handle with his fire magic because it was taking too long. He puffed out his chest pridefully, but immediately lost his courage when he saw a large panel with a mess of wires.

"...Uh oh."

Silver walked casually towards Vanitas with the rest of the pirates behind him. Vanitas scoffed.

**_"...Don't be so full of yourself. You can't control me. Just like you can't control your own crew."_ **

Silver raised an eyebrow with contempt as the other pirates pressed their swords against his neck.

**_"...Pathetic. From our standpoint, you're too weak to be the leader. You should just hand over the title to ME."_ **

Silver's eye turned completely red.

"...Boy. Ye've got no idea what you're dealing with."

The crew abruptly rushed Vanitas, pinning him down on his knees.

**_"What?!"_ **

Silver let out a hearty laugh. "You actually thought you could take me crew away? They've been onto you fer a while, fully aware of yer mutiny. They're loyal to ME, not a sad excuse fer a pirate."

**_"I'LL DESTROY ALL OF YOU MAGGOTS!!"_ **

Silver smacked the back of Vanitas' head with the hilt of his blade at full force. The boy collapsed, his helmet cracking a bit. The pirates went and grabbed Kairi and Aqua.

"That oughta shut him up fer a while. Now all of ye make yerselves useful and get this ship moving!!! I've got a map ta grab."

The ship abruptly shuddered. The large group screamed in alarm as they started floating up into the air.

 _"What the devil?!"_ Silver pressed his hand onto his hat before it could fly away.

Donald was desperately trying to find the right plug. But every time he pulled one out, the ship would shoot up and down or shake violently. He quacked furiously.

"I can't take this anymore!!! THUNDER!!!"

Donald electrocuted the control panel. It blew up in his face, plastering him against the wall. He pulled himself off like a sticker and attempted fixing the damage.

"...That...was a mistake..." Donald wheezed. He coughed out a puff of smoke from his lungs.

The ship somehow stayed afloat, but the protective barrier around the ship had dissipated completely. It was starting to get cold, and it was becoming harder to breathe. The pirates released Kairi and Aqua, clinging desperately onto the masts and ropes so they wouldn't float off into space.

Kairi looked up and saw Vanitas, still unconscious as he started drifting away from the ship. Without a second thought, she bent her legs and shot herself towards him.

"Kairi!!!" Aqua exclaimed, holding onto one of the masts as well. 

She bit her lip and threw a rope at Kairi. Kairi tied it around her waist and flew towards Vanitas as Aqua held onto the other end of the rope.

Vanitas couldn't breathe. His helmet was disintegrating since he couldn't hold it up anymore. Everything was cold. It was a familiar feeling. It was all he ever knew. He welcomed the sweet embrace of oblivion.

...He suddenly felt something warm. It was holding his hand. No. He didn't like it. He hated it. All that warmth and light ever brought him was pain.

"I've got you!"

That voice. It was that stupid girl. He hated her for this. He didn't care what she meant to anyone or to the worlds. He'd kill her. He'd kill all of them. They were all so _stupid._ They didn't know the first thing about such an unbearable existence.

His heart stopped as the force of gravity returned. They both fell.

He felt pain. Then nothing. Nothing but darkness and silence.

Kairi groaned. She rubbed her head and pushed herself up with her arms. She was drained of all her energy. She turned her head weakly over to Vanitas, who was lying on the ground a few inches away. He wasn't facing her, but she could finally see that his hair was black.

The chunk of the helmet he had left on was pressing into his face. That had to be uncomfortable. Kairi nervously grabbed the sides and pulled it off.

Her face turned deathly pale at the sight of his true appearance. Even Aqua covered her mouth in shock.

His eyes snapped open. Vanitas shot up and shoved Kairi back. Kairi stared in stunned silence as his arms trembled wirh rage, giving her a murderous glare. Vanitas opened a portal behind him and ran into it.

 _"Wait!"_ Kairi got up and ran to the portal, but it vanished before she could reach it. She fell onto her hands, breathing in and out shakily.

"Kairi!" Aqua dashed over to the small girl and kneeled down. Kairi looked up at her.

"Are you ok? Did he hurt you???" Aqua touched her shoulder.

Kairi looked over to the same spot where Vanitas had disappeared. Her eyebrows creased.

"...No. He didn't."

\-----------

Ventus yawned, stretching his arms upward as he threw himself onto the ground. Goofy and Roxas were sitting on either side of him.

"...This place is nice."

They were at the top of a bright green hill, overlooking the large, ancient castle before them. The gentle breeze swayed the rustling grass underneath them.

"Try not to fall asleep. You might get stuck that way." Roxas put his head on his arms.

Ventus rolled his eyes. "...Okay, that's just harsh. I am _never_ reliving that again. Thanks for bringing it up, by the way."

Roxas shrugged at the biting sarcasm in Ventus' tone. Goofy scratched his head, wondering what he could do to help them get along. His finger shot up.

"How about we go explorin' some more, fellas? It'll be fun!"

"...I guess..." Roxas muttered.

"Ahyuck! Let's get movin', then! Can't be wastin' any more daylight 'round here!"

Goofy stood up along with the two boys. He ruffled their hair, then started heading down the hill. Roxas and Ventus hesitantly followed him, making an effort to ignore each other. The moment Goofy reached the bottom of the hill, an arrow zoomed towards him. It was inches away from his face.

"YIKES!!!" He ducked as it hit something in the trees. Ventus and Roxas rushed over to him.

"Hey! Who's shooting arrows at us?!" Roxas yelled.

The three of them looked up in astonishment as a glowing heart came out of the tree, floating up into the sky until it disappeared entirely.

"Oh! Sorry!"

The boys stepped back as a large horse skidded to a halt in front of them. It neighed in alarm at first and kicked its hooves up at them, but the person on top of it patted the side of its neck to calm it down.

"Easy, Agnus!" The cloaked figure clicked her tongue and shushed the horse. It sputtered, shaking its head a little.

The cloaked figure pulled off her hood. It was a girl with messy red hair and sharp blue eyes.

"Ah didn't mean ta startle ya! I was chasin' after that nasty creature hiding in the trees. It's been drivin' the guards nuts for a while, so I decided to take care of it meself." She pointed at herself.

"...It was a pretty good shot...but you almost took Goofy's head off. So it's kinda debatable." Ventus curved his lips.

_"Merida!"_

She blew a raspberry at the sound of an annoying voice. Her mother trotted up to her and glanced down at the three boys.

"...Hmm. Ah don't believe I've ever seen you three around here before. Possibly from another kingdom..." She rubbed her eyes. "...Where on earth is that blasted husband of mine...he needs to be keepin' track of all this with me....!"

She looked back down at them. "What are your names? State your business here."

"U-um..." Ventus was taken aback by her serious tone. He doubted she would take 'no' as an answer, and he really didn't want to find out what would happen if he tried.

"...Errr....I'm Ventus. Call me Ven. That's Roxas, and that's Goofy. We come from a faraway kingdom called...."

Ventus quickly investigated his surroundings with his eyes. She was starting to look suspicious.

"Tree...sky....cloud....grass....rock..." He mumbled to himself.

"Clou...barkish.....stone? Tree...ska?"

Roxas put a hand on his shoulder. "Please stop before you hurt yourself. Let me handle this."

"...Look, Miss..."

 _"Queen._ Queen Elinor," She corrected. "I worked very hard to earn and deserve that title."

"Right. Queen Elinor." He bowed slightly. "We're not really from around here, or from a specific kingdom. We're kinda like....I guess you could consider us travelers with no allegiance."

Queen Elinor raised an eyebrow. "...I see. Your clothing is a bit unusual, so your claim isn't entirely implausible...."

"...Run along, then. Let's go keep searchin', Merida."

"Hold on!"

Queen Elinor rolled her eyes and looked at Goofy, who had spoken up.

"What is it now?"

"Your Majesty, didja say you was lookin' for someone?"

She huffed. "...Yes. Why?"

"Well, we're also a couple of travelers who like helpin' people out! If ya don't mind, we could help take out some of those monsters 'round your kingdom and help ya look for whatever it is!"

Merida placed her hand on her mother's shoulder.

"...Mum...maybe we should take them up on their offer. We've been searchin' for a whole week now, and those creatures just keep on comin'. If the other clans find out about dad and these monsters...they won't be happy."

"...." Queen Elinor closed her eyes.

"...Very well. But we're stoppin' for today. I'm exhausted." She looked at the boys.

"Since you're travelers, I suspect ya have no place ta sleep. You may rest in one of our servant's empty chambers, but I will only give you four days. If you fail, you leave. Understood?"

Ventus, Roxas, and Goofy nodded in unison.

"Right then. We'll show ya to the castle, and that'll be that." Queen Elinor turned her horse and trotted away without another word. Merida glanced at them.

"...She's much nicer than this. But after me dad disappeared, it feels like she's taken a step backwards. She won't talk with me about it, either..." Merida frowned.

"...Don't worry, Princess! I'm sure we'll find him in no time! Especially with more people lookin!" Goofy smiled.

She chuckled. "...I hope you're right. Also, don't call me 'princess'. Just Merida is fine."

\------------

After a good night's sleep in a slightly cramped room, Ventus, Roxas, and Goofy headed out with Merida to fight off Heartless and look for her father, the king of DunBroch. The queen decided to not join them, since she was feeling sick. She had specifically given them such a short time-frame because the other clans, known as MacIntosh, MacGuffin, and DingWall, were planning to make their annual visit to the castle in four days. If they couldn't find the king, the meeting would not end well. A similar issue had occurred when the queen herself had gone missing a few years ago. Merida began to explain just what had happened before.

"...If you had a chance to change your fate....would ya?"

Roxas and Ventus looked at each other. They shrugged. Merida sighed, tapping her fingers on her bow.

"...I wanted to change it. I didn't want to be a princess. To be forced to hide what made me who I am, just to uphold the family name and ascend to the throne with a king by my side...it was my birth-given right, an' I didn't want it."

"...So I went into the woods, and I found a will-o' the-wisp. They're incredibly rare to see with your own eyes. My mum always told me they could lead you to your fate, so I followed it to a dinky old cottage. I met a scaffy witch inside, who gave me a gammy spell...and I turned my mum into a bear."

"...What, you did _what?!"_ Ventus stared at her in disbelief. Merida raised her arms.

"It's true! I swear it! And as a matter of fact, I'm planning to go find her again. If anyone knows the whereabouts of my dad, it's got to be the witch."

"Gawrsh, do ya think it'll be easy? Ya just said those will-o-wisp thingies are hard to find!" Goofy gave her a worried look.

Merida grinned. "...Ah, don't worry about that. They'll come out eventually, if you're lookin' for them."

"...I think she's bluffing. No way that's possible!" Ventus whispered to Roxas.

Roxas raised an eyebrow. "You're questioning _that,_ after everything we've seen?"

Ventus rubbed his head.

"...Good point."

"Also, quick question." Roxas put his hands together and raised them over his mouth.

"...What's a bear?"

Ventus didn't get to answer as the ground shook slightly under them. A few birds screeched and flew past the small group. Merida pulled out an arrow and rested it onto her bow as the trees started to rustle around them. The boys summoned their keyblades, while Goofy stood slightly in front of them as their shield.

"...Something's coming for us. Keep your eyes peeled." Merida raised her bow, pulling back on the tight rope as she gripped the back of the arrow.

Roxas squinted his eyes as he stared into the deep forest. It was too dark, but he could vaguely pinpoint a pair of red, bloodshot eyes staring back at them. They all took a step back as they heard an ear-splitting roar. A giant animal with sharp claws and disheveled fur came out of the shadows, looming above them. It started to growl. Ventus gulped.

"...That...is a bear."

The bear roared again and charged at them. Goofy blocked the first slash with his shield, pushing its arm away. Merida struck the bear in the shoulder with an arrow, then started reaching for another one. The bear targeted her instantly, rushing towards her faster than she could react. Roxas and Ventus blocked the bear with their keyblades unanimously, then countered it by smacking it in the face. It wailed loudly, not expecting the attack to hurt as much as it did. The bear barreled into them and ran away. The boys helped Goofy and Merida stand back up once they knew for sure that the bear was gone.

"Whew! Thanks, boys. You fight very well with those strange weapons. We make a good team!" Merida grinned, patting both of their heads. Goofy snickered as Roxas and Ventus blushed from the compliment. 

"I definitely wasn't expecting a bear to be that angry." Roxas jutted out his bottom lip. "What was its problem, anyway? Was it a person before too?"

"Wouldn't you be mad if you woke up as a bear one day?" Ventus stated.

Roxas closed his eyes. "...Nah. I wouldn't have to worry about stuff anymore. Sounds relaxing. But you know who would _really_ hate that?"

Roxas and Ventus pointed at each other, smirking.

"Sora."

Ventus rubbed his chin. "What would that even look like...?"

Both Ventus and Roxas envisioned a gigantic Sora-Bear hunting them down at full speed as they ran desperately for their lives. They both started to sweat nervously.

"...On second thought, I don't want to see that. _Especially_ up-close and personal."

Roxas nodded vigorously. "Agreed."

Merida snorted. "...Honestly, you two remind me of my three brothers. Peas in a pod, despite bein' wee devils to deal with."

Ventus waved his hands. "Whoa whoa, we're not brothers. We're not even close to being related!"

Merida tilted her head. "...Are ya sure about that? You look way too alike for it to be just a coincidence."

"...We really aren't..." Roxas pouted.

Merida shrugged, not fully understanding the situation. Maybe they were just in denial? Her brothers tended to do that whenever they upset each other. Which was rarely.

"Alright, alright. Let's keep going."

Merida led them through the forest. As they got deeper in, it appeared more sinister and ominous. Goofy was deeply concerned by this until they finally came to clearing. The area had several eroded stones with faint symbols. They had been chipped away by the passage of time and harsh weather.

"...This is where I found it last time." Merida stopped walking, scanning the area. The three boys stopped beside her.

"It should be around here somewhere..." She sprinted over to the rest of the ruins, searching every nook and cranny for any signs of the glowing orbs. Ventus, Roxas, and Goofy soon joined her, but they had no success either.

Merida groaned loudly. "Come _on!_ It has to show itself sooner or later!"

"...Maybe we should take a break." Ventus patted her shoulder.

"Fine. But it won't be long. We don't have a lot of time left."

Merida plopped down onto the grass with a frustrated expression. Roxas and Ventus joined her, while Goofy chose to simply stay vigilant of their surroundings while standing. Roxas looked over at Merida.

"...So....how did you change your mom back? She's clearly not a bear anymore."

Merida looked up to the sky. "...Well...we had a fight before all that. I tore up the family tapestry and she turned me old bow and arrow into ash. So I used a potion the witch gave me to change my mum, so it would change my fate. I didn't know it would change my mum as much as it did..." Merida closed her eyes. 

"...The witch told me a strange riddle, which was the only way to save my mum from being a bear forever."

_"...Fate be changed, look inside. Mend the bond torn by pride."_

Ventus felt a chill run up his spine.

"...You sure that curse doesn't work anymore?"

Merida pouted. "Of course not! I broke the spell by patching up the tapestry. It would only work again if someone used the potion to curse...someone else...."

Merida suddenly looked afraid.

"...Oh no. No no no...!" She jumped up and started searching frantically around the ruins again.

"Merida, what's the matter?" Roxas said. The three boys went after her.

"That stupid witch! If she did what I think she did..."

"Now hold on, missy!" Goofy touched her shoulder. "Slow down and tell us what you're thinkin'."

Merida bit her lip.

"...What if she cursed my father? What if that bear we fought was _him?!?"_ She started tearing up.

Goofy patted her shoulder sympathetically. Roxas rubbed the back of his neck and looked down

"Hey, guys?"

They all turned to Ventus. He was standing in front of a blue orb that had manifested before him.

"...I think I found one."

The orb floated upwards a little, then darted away from him.

"Hey! Come back!" Ventus ran after it. Merida, Roxas and Goofy trailed a bit behind him.

Ventus kept his eyes locked onto it as he pushed past bushes and branches. He thought he could hear a faint voice whispering to him, but he decided not to dwell on that. He skidded to a halt when he found himself in another clearing. He noted a small cottage close by with smoke coming out of the chimney. The others stopped once they reached him and looked around. Ventus felt relieved when the whispers went quiet.

"There it is." Merida grimaced and marched towards the cottage. The boys followed with a bit of unease in their hearts.

Merida swung the door open with no hesitation, her eyes flaring with rage.

"Alright, ya scrappy witch! What did you do with my dad?!"

An elderly woman with unruly white hair and tattered clothing looked up. She stopped slicing pieces of a small wodden figure in her hands and set it down in her lap. She gave them a scraggletoothed grin.

"Speak of the devil! I was just thinkin' about payin' a visit! Would you like one of me new carvings?" The old lady picked up the figure in her lap, showing it off. It was a small bear.

Merida gritted her teeth. "I just told you what I'm here for! Stop changin' the subject!"

The witch chortled. "Still a spitfire, aren't ya?" She leaned over to Goofy. "She's up to high doe."

Merida put her hands on her hips, tapping her foot impatiently. The witch sighed and got up from her rocking chair, then hobbled over to a small table with a glass orb on top of it.

"You're here for your father, and these boys are awfully worried for ya.The happy twin there's been cursed with a terrible fate before, so he understands your plight."

Ventus tensed up. "How...do you know that?"

"Because she's a _witch."_ Merida narrowed her eyes.

_"Woodcarver!"_ The old woman protested. "I just happen to have a few extra tricks up my sleeves. That's all." 

"...Sorry to say, but I don't know where the king is. A nasty dark fairy came and stole one of me spells a week ago, specifically the one I gave you. If she cursed your father, I can't say for sure. But I can help you reverse it if the fairy did curse him...for a price."

Roxas crossed his arms with a serious expression. "...What's the catch, then?"

The witch placed her hands under her chin, resting her elbows on the table. The light from the orb gave her an ominous glow. The carvings began to hover up in the air. She then laughed good-naturedly as the carvings fell on the ground.

"Bah, I don't want much at all! Just for each of you to purchase one of my carvings. _This_ one, in particular..." She picked up a carving from the ground that was in the shape of a rose. It had a heart in the center, similar to the metal clasp on his chest. She handed it to Ventus.

"...I believe it should belong to you. Don't lose heart, boy. Fate can be challenged, if you're brave enough to face it." The witch winked.

"....." Ventus closed his hand on the wooden flower. He seemed to be lost in thought. Roxas waved his hand in front of Ventus' face.

"...Hey. Snap out of it."

Ventus blinked. "...Oh, sorry."

\-----------

After Merida, Goofy, and Roxas had (reluctantly) bought a few of the witch's carvings, she gave them another riddle to decipher in case the king had been cursed. The small group left the cottage and headed in the direction that the witch had pointed out for them. She claimed that that was where she saw the evil fairy go.

"...Change the fate, caused by rage. Waken the heart from cursed dark."

Roxas raised his index finger over his mouth as they walked.

"That's...even more cryptic than the other one. What exactly did your father do...?"

Merida rubbed her arms. "...I have no idea. But whatever it was...I hope I can get to him in time."

"Gawrsh, what do ya mean by that?" Goofy seemed concerned.

"...I just barely saved me mum from becoming nothing but a wild animal. Anyone who's cursed by that spell loses themselves eventually..." Merida lowered her head

**"...In that case...you're far too late to save him, girl."**

The group pulled out their weapons, turning to the voice that had spoken up. Ventus' eyes widened.

_"...Maleficent?! And Pete?!?"_

The evil fairy let out a sinister cackle, raising a hand over her mouth. Pete sneered at them, crossing his arms.

"Welly well well! What do we have here? We've got the goof with a brain the size of a walnut, the ghost, and the copycat!" Pete snickered.

Ventus grunted, summoning his keyblade.

"So you two were behind all this! What do you want with the king?!"

"That does not concern you, boy." Maleficent lowered her hand, scowling at the small group. "...However, I am quite intrigued as to why you are here. Is it perhaps that the old mage sent you here on a fool's errand? You won't find the answers you are searching for."

"...Or to put it another way." Maleficent raised her arms up, looking up at the sky.

"I shall not allow you to continue interfering. And what better way to do so than by using _brute force?"_

Maleficent slammed her staff on the ground. Green flames manifested beside her. Once it faded, they saw a bear lying on the ground and moaning. Merida gasped when she noticed the bear's wooden peg leg. She grabbed an arrow from her quiver and aimed at Maleficent.

 _"Give me back my father, you wicked old HAG!"_ Merida let go of the arrow, watching as it shot towards Maleficent's face.

Maleficent scoffed. She waved her hand, making the arrow disintegrate. Merida cried out as a blast of dark energy struck her. She flew back a little and collapsed onto the grass.

"Merida!" Roxas ran over to her and helped her get back up. Merida nodded and straightened her posture, but she was clearly in a bit of pain from the impact.

"Truly a shame that you are not one of the Princesses of Heart. I would enjoy seeing the spirit drain out of you, though that can still be arranged...." A cruel grin formed on Maleficent's mouth.

Merida clenched her hands and took a step forward, but Roxas put his hand in front of her.

"Good. You know when you're clearly outmatched." The evil fairy sneered.

"Now then...why don't we see what happens when I whisper to the darkness in this foolish king's heart? It serves him right for identifying me as a threat. I'll take that miserable excuse of a castle for myself."

Maleficent raised her hand. Darkness began to form around it, then it slowly spread onto the king's body. Her eyes widened with indignation as a keyblade smacked her hand away. Ventus caught his weapon after throwing it like a boomerang at her.

"Hey! Don't forget about me!" He gripped his keyblade tightly.

"Hmph. Such insolence. When will you realize that you are out of your depth?"

"I beat you before, and I'll beat you again!" Ventus exclaimed angrily. "I've learned from my past. I'm not the same as I was before!"

Maleficent smirked. "How ironic. You say that you have _learned?"_

Pete yelped and scrambled away as her entire body erupted into flames.

**"So have I!!!"**

The group watched in horror as Maleficent transformed into a massive dragon. She roared, slamming her claws against the ground. Pete ribbed his nose with a snarky grin, then snapped his fingers.

"And now it's time for my new Heartless pet to have an encore performance!"

He smugly crossed his arms as the bear from before appeared behind him, with an arrow still sticking out of its shoulder. Its shape warped into a purple and black monster with a heart shape in its chest, while still retaining some of its bear-like features. It let out a shriek as its claws grew twice in length.

Ventus and the others looked around frantically as Maleficent suddenly vanished. She reappeared again behind Ventus and grabbed him with her claws, flying high up into the air. He struggled to free himself from her iron grip. Roxas turned his keyblade into a glider and jumped on it.

"Goofy! Merida! You take care of Pete and that monster. I'll go get Ven!" Roxas blasted himself into the sky, chasing after the dragon.

Once she was high enough that it became difficult to breathe, she tossed Ventus up above her. She hissed as her mouth opened wide, ready to finish off the boy once and for all. Ventus struggled to summon his keyblade, but he couldn't concentrate with everything that was happening. His head started to hurt for some reason.

Ventus felt the wind get knocked out of his lungs as something caught him in midair. He was inches away from Maleficent's jaws as they snapped shut. Roxas gave him a thumbs up with a dull expression.

"Good job. You were almost eaten alive by a ten-foot dragon."

Ventus plopped his head on the front of Roxas' glider and laughed, somehow seeing the joke in his twin's dry and morbid sense of humor.

"...I've dealt with worse, to be totally honest."

A ghost of a smile formed on Roxas' mouth.

"...You know what? You're alright, man. And uh...sorry for what I said earlier. About the whole...sleeping thing. It was touchy subject and I shouldn't have brought it up. I'm still figuring out how to interact with people..."

Ventus looked up at Roxas and shrugged. "...I understand. Don't worry too much about it."

Roxas tilted his glider sideways when a large fireball nearly hit them. Ventus gripped the side of the handle as he attempted to not fall off.

"Oh yeah. Almost forgot about that." Roxas rubbed his head.

"Alright, that's it!" Ventus finally pulled out his keyblade and stood up straight on Roxas' glider.

"Bring us closer to her. I'm gonna show that oversized lizard what happens when you mess with us!"

"Music to my ears." Roxas grinned and turned the glider around. They dodged a blast of flames that cane out of Maleficent's mouth, and Ventus blocked her claws and swipes of her tail as she tried knocking then out of the air. They gasped as several balls of fire corrupted with darkness surrounded them.

Ventus closed his eyes and smirked, confidently putting his keyblade in his shoulder.

"...I think she forgot how fast I can be."

Roxas felt a bit of unease as the fireballs came hurtling towards them. Ventus' eyes snapped open just as they were about to land. He slashed at the fireballs at lightening speed, faster than Roxas could comprehend. The fireballs disintegrated, making Maleficent screech in fury.

"Hey, dragon breath!"

Maleficent hissed in response. Ventus raised his weapon.

"Try to catch _this!"_

Ventus flung his keyblade at her with all of his might. It impaled Maleficent before she could fly away in time. Maleficent wailed in agony as she hurtled towards the ground like a bullet. Goofy and Merida carried the king out of the way, ignoring the now weakened Heartless they had been fighting. Maleficent crashed into the ground, squashing the Heartless underneath the weight of her body.

Ventus summoned his keyblade back into his hand, glaring at the dragon as they landed back on the ground. Maleficent's chest was still rising and falling. They watched as she changed back into her original state. Pete ran over to her with sweat droplets coming off of him.

"...Hey, Maleficent!" Pete reached out to her cautiously. "...Are ya okay?"

Maleficent slapped his hand away. She made her staff materialize and used it to prop herself up. She clutched her chest, eyeing the boys with fury in her eyes.

"Even with my newfound abilities....I cannot defeat those accursed keyblades...!" She bared her teeth.

_"Because you are unworthy of such a feat. You cannot champion above weapons that our beyond your realm of understanding."_

**"Who said that?!"** Maleficent hissed.

A flurry of dancing petals surrounded the group. They covered their eyes as the breeze picked up a little. Then it suddenly stopped, and a hooded figure stood before them. He took it off, swishing his long, pink hair. A sinister smile formed on his mouth.

"Wretched Nobodies! Your non-existence was extinguished ages ago!!!" Maleficent spat.

"No. Not a Nobody." The man crossed his arms. "...Just a former member of that Organization. It's amazing how death can rejuvenate you. You would understand that just as well, witch...if you weren't in such a poor condition."

"Dad!"

Roxas and Ventus looked over at Merida and Goofy. Her father was human again, but he was unconscious. She covered him up with her cloak and hugged him.

"Thank goodness you're alright...I guess all it took was knocking that fairy down a few pegs..."

Maleficent gritted her teeth. She raised her hand shakily towards them, but stopped when she felt something sharp press against her neck. The former Organization member was holding a scythe. Maleficent summoned a few Heartless to her aid, letting them pull the scythe away as she jumped back a few feet.

"Make haste, you bumbling fool! We retreat for now!"

Pete stared blankly at her until it finally clicked.

"Oh! Right away, ma'am!" He opened a corridor of darkness and stood aside. She smacked him on the head with her staff before going inside.

"Your battle against the darkness will never be won! And just like that other foolish boy, it shall consume you all!!!"

Maleficent and Pete vanished. They all turned to the Organization member that had seemingly helped them. Ventus narrowed his eyes.

"...Who...are you?"

The man raised his eyebrow with an unreadable expression.

"...Nothing but a spectator who had seen too much. But you of all people would know exactly what that is like...Ventus."

Ventus got into a fighting stance.

_"How do you know my name? I've never met you before!"_

The man grinned.

"Are you sure about that?" He pulled something out of his pocket and threw it at Ventus, who caught it. A card, with the image of a town on it.

"Perhaps you should double-check your memories. Look at the card. What does it remind you of?"

Ventus frowned at him, then turned his attention back to the card. He focused on it for a good two minutes before he heard the whispers in his head come back. Ventus clutched his head as a horrible ringing began reverberating in his thoughts. He collapsed onto the ground, curling up a little as he cried out from the pain.

 _"Ventus? Ven!"_ A muffled voice called out to him. He felt them shaking his shoulder. He suddenly couldn't tell where he was anymore. He shut his eyes tightly, gritting his teeth.

Everything went dark. Four people were suddenly facing him with the Organization member as one of them. He looked different. They all smiled at Ventus, saying nothing. The girl in the group raised her index finger over her mouth.

Ventus opened his eyes and came to. He looked up and saw Roxas, Goofy, and Merida. They all seemed deeply concerned for him.

"...What...happened to me?"

Roxas and Goofy helped him stand up. Merida patted his back, then went back to her father.

"...You just freaked out. Don't you remember?" Roxas inquired.

Goofy winced. "Ya really scared us! Are ya feelin' better?" 

Ventus placed a hand on his forehead. The ringing had thankfully stopped, but now his mind was filled with memories he didn't know he had. He looked over at the man in the black coat.

_"...I remember you."_

He chuckled. "Be careful. The mind can easily decieve by warping your reality. It is up to you. To decide if those memories are real. You can decipher them, or leave them be and forget."

The man turned away from them. A portal manifested in front of him.

"...And by the way...it's _Marluxia_ now. Watch yourself. The 13 darknesses will soon rise."

Marluxia waved at them without turning back, then disappeared into the portal. Ventus let go of Roxas and Goofy, reassuring them that he was feeling better. He looked at the card in his hand one more time. Just like the Land of Departure...it felt like home.

_...How long ago...did I leave?_

\------------

"Man, I am _digging_ the vibe of this place already! It doesn't look like a 'land of the dead' at all!"

Riku grunted in frustration, already upset that Lea was trying to crack jokes. He was walking at a faster pace than Mickey and Lea on purpose.

"This is a serious mission. We're supposed to get information from an Organization member and go straight back home."

"Just chill out, Riku." Lea chuckled. "There's gotta be something around this place that... _lifts your spirit."_

_One more pun. One. More. One more and I'll turn around and kick his-_

"Riku!" Mickey pushed him to the ground. A glider had nearly rammed into him.

"Hey! We're walking here!" Lea shouted. "Show some common decency, black coat!"

"What?!" Riku shot up from the floor and saw the hooded figure flying around. They were clearly attempting to grab attention, and it worked.

"We need to go! We can't lose that guy!" Riku put on his armor and got on his glider, then immediately went towards the hooded figure.

"There he goes again..." Lea shook his head then put on his armor as well. Mickey joined him and they went after Riku.

Riku zipped past the alebrijes that were up in the air, startling some of the residents that saw him and the figure pass by. The hooded figure went into a narrow alleyway, knocking a skeleton over like a set of bowling pins. Riku stopped and quickly helped the skeleton rearrange themselves, ignoring how much the man was screaming by seeing a living suit of armor. He hopped back onto his glider and flew up out of the dark alley to get a better view. He squinted his eyes and saw the figure approaching the bridge made of golden petals. He sped up to try and cut the hooded figure off, going underneath the bridge and popping out from the other side. The hooded figure skidded to a halt as Riku blocked his path.

Riku pointed down at the bridge.

"Yield. Or else."

The hooded figure complied easily, which Riku didn't expect. They both landed on the floor, and Riku changed back into his regular clothes. He aimed his keyblade at the figure.

"Take it off. Let me see if I guessed right."

The figure shook his head and shrugged. He pulled off the hood. Riku felt his heart begin to race a little at the sight of his old friend. He couldn't see even a trace of light left in his eyes.

Sora let out a distorted laugh, his shoulders shaking. He didn't even sound the same anymore, which made Riku's chest tighten.

 **"Gee, Riku! What could've given me away?"** Sora's tone was dripping with sarcasm. He already knew the answer.

"Your stench. The smell of the darkness inside you. It's unbearable."

 **"...You sure know how to flatter a friend. I'm touched."** Sora mockingly placed his hands on his chest.

Sora was taunting him. It bothered him to no end, knowing for a fact that Xehanort was pulling the strings. He wished he could just look inside Sora's heart for a second and try to pry the evil man out.

Sora snapped his fingers. A dark barrier formed around the boys just as Lea and Mickey reached them.

 **"...You want information? They stay out of it."** Sora sneered.

"...Fine by me." Riku commanded his weapon to disappear. He crossed his arms.

"...Location. And when. That's all I want to know."

Sora hummed, tapping the side of his head. It seemed like he was debating whether or not to tell Riku.

 **"...Two days. And you already know where. Don't play dumb."** Sora giggled.

 **"...The place where all keyblade weilders leave their mark on fate...the Keyblade Graveyard!"** A twisted smile formed on Sora's mouth. He summoned his keyblade. 

**"...I hope you don't mind...but I wish to test you before the time comes. Let us see just how powerful you've gotten, despite rejecting the darkness."**

"...You're wrong. I never shunned the darkness inside me." Riku pulled his keyblade out again, grimacing.

"...I just learned to accept it. To use both dark and light. That is my strength. The way to dawn!"

Riku and Sora both yelled as they clashed. Their weapons crackled with explosive intensity. They backed away from each other, and Sora started shooting multiple balls of darkness at Riku. Riku deflected all of them and threw his keyblade at Sora. He caught it and leaped above Riku. Riku dodged as Sora drove them both into the ground, planning to impale Riku if he had succeeded in landing the attack.

 **"Tch. What a piece of junk."** Sora tossed it at Riku's feet. He picked up his keyblade. Riku's eyes widened as images flashed into his mind.

Sora. Sora being strapped to a table. He was so little, but they ignored his cries. He cried out for his mother. Cried out for Kairi. Cried out for him. But no one came. No one ever came as they injected him with serums to see how how body would react. No one ever came when they put him in a room full of Heartless so he would fight against the darkness and use it to his advantage. Pain. Pain so indescribable that eventually, he longer cared. He craved its familiarity. He pushed away any fleeting emotions of the traitors he called friends. They never helped him. He was alone. He was all alone....

Riku stumbled back. He fell to his knees in tears, staring at his friend in terror.

"...Why...why...did they do this to you...? How could they...?" Riku's voice was quivering.

Sora bared his teeth, cracking his knuckles.

**"I DON'T NEED TO ANSWER TO YOU!!!"**

Sora lunged at Riku, swinging his keyblade at full force. Riku shut his eyes.

_"Light!"_

A ball of light formed at the tip of Riku's keyblade. Sora screamed as it repelled him, shooting him across the ground. The golden petal fluttered around Sora as he clutched his head, trembling violently. Riku stood up and slowly made his way to him.

Just as Riku was inches away, Sora stopped shaking. He looked up at the sky with a blank expression. Riku took a few steps backwards as Sora sat up. His head dropped. Riku gasped when he saw tear droplets falling from Sora's obscured face.

"...Riku...."

Sora voice was hoarse and quiet, but it sounded slightly more familar. Riku kneeled down to face him.

"...Please.....help....me....."

Riku breathed in shakily. He slowly reached out to touch Sora's shoulder.

...Then he felt pain. Burning, agonizing pain as Sora slashed at Riku's eye. Riku shrieked and bent over, covering his wound as blood dripped out through his fingers. Sora stood up, tilting his head with a wild look in his own eyes. Completely devoid of any emotion. He raised his hand which now had claws at the tip. He noticed traces of blood. An uneven smile formed on his mouth, where a bit of drool came out.

**"...Heh. I really am some kind of freak, aren't I...?"**

Sora's eyes twitched. He wiped the black tears away and stood up. He opened a portal and left, not bothering to address Riku again. Mickey and Lea dispelled the now weakened barrier and ran to Riku's aid.

\--------

"...I'll be fine. Quit fussing about me so much."

"Gosh, Riku. Are ya sure?"

"Positive. Go on without me. I'll catch up."

"...Look after yourself, man. We kinda need you. And we care a lot. Sorry if I suck at it. Showing that I care, I mean."

"...Thanks, Lea. And you're not. Sorry for holding a grudge."

Riku touched his now bandaged eye, watching as Mickey and Lea flew off and left the world. Mickey had told him that his eye wasn't gone for good; it just needed to heal from the trauma. The scar was most likely permanent, however. No amount of healing magic could fix that.

He sighed and closed his good eye, feeling a light breeze as he sat on the edge of the bridge. The golden petals rustled underneath his hands.

"...Hey, you're another living person! I knew I wasn't imagining it!"

Riku opened his eye and glanced over at a small boy. He had black hair, tan skin, and he was wearing a red jacket. The boy cautiously approached and cringed at the sight of him.

"...Ouch. That looks like it hurt."

Riku smirked. "...You have no idea."

The boy sat down on the edge as well at a fair distance. He kicked his feet back and forth.

"So why are you here? Are you trying to find someone too?"

"...I did find him. But it didn't end well." Riku pointed at his bandaged eye. The boy looked down sadly.

"That's terrible. I'd ask why he did it, but...it's not my place to."

The boy pulled the white guitar off of his back and started to tune it. He then began strumming a few notes until it created a small melody. Riku raised an eyebrow.

"That sounds nice. What's it called?"

The boy's eyes lit up. He played it cool by shrugging it off.

"It's a song from my favorite actor and guitarist, Ernesto De La Cruz! He called this one 'Remember Me'. It sounds kinda like a lullaby when you play it slowly like I am, but it shouldn't be."

"...I dunno. I like it better that way." Riku looked up.

The boy grinned. He kept playing it for a little longer until he finally stopped. He stretched his arms and flexed his fingers.

"I'm actually here to see De La Cruz himself. He's my great-great grandfather. I wonder if he knows who I am..."

Riku sighed.

"...Must be nice to only worry about that. Instead of fearing that he only remembers you as a bad person...."

The boy scrunched up his nose.

"...I didn't think about it like that. But that would just make me more determined to meet him and prove him wrong."

Riku smiled a little.

"...Yeah. You're absolutely right."

_"Oye, chamaco!"_

They both turned their heads to a tall, scraggly skeleton wearing a straw hat. He waved his hands from the end of the bridge.

"What are you doing out there? We haven't got all day!"

"Sorry, Hector! I'm coming!" The boy slipped his guitar back on and started to run, then paused for a second and looked over at Riku.

"Good luck with whatever it is you're doing!" The boy turned back around and ran off the bridge, joining the skeleton. Riku rubbed his head.

"...You too."

\------------

Once the groups had all returned from their missions, they each explained what had occurred during each of them. Kairi and Aqua were immediately tending to Riku's wound more than it already had been, much to his displeasure. But he understood that they simply cared a lot, so he accepted his fate as the girls consistently put ointments on his scar and made him do more than one vision test. If he was going to be ready for the fight, he couldn't go in half-blind. He wasn't used to it like that one guy who always wore an eye patch. What was his name again...?

"Riku?"

Riku blinked, noticing Kairi standing beside him. He waved his hand dismissively.

"I wish we could go with you guys..." Goofy looked down sadly.

Lea patted both Donald and Goofy on the backs. He smiled.

"...Hey, don't be like that. You guys have gotta stick around in case one of us doesn't make it."

"No!" Donald put his foot down, tearing up a bit. "You're all coming back, okay? Promise!"

Mickey extended his hand to his friends. Goofy and Donald looked at each other apprehensively, then placed their hands on top of his.

"...No matter how far we are from each other, we'll always be together in our hearts. The bonds we have can never be broken. So keep on smiling, okay?"

Donald started to cry. Goofy and Mickey hugged him. Once he calmed down a little, he looked at Mickey sadly.

"Please come back..."

"I swear it, Donald. I won't let my best pals down." Mickey smiled sincerely.

"Riku, quit spacing out! You're worrying me!" Kairi exclaimed. Riku rubbed the back of his neck.

"I'm good. Seriously. You need to relax."

"He's got a point, Kairi." Ventus nodded. "If you keep smothering him, you'll end up like Aqua."

"Hey!" Aqua lightly punched his shoulder. Ventus laughed, rubbing his shoulder a little.

Yen Sid cleared his throat. The keyblade weilders turned their attention back to him. He smiled faintly, understanding that they were simply trying to make light of the situation. He closed his eyes.

"...The time has come. Our fate lies with the seven of you. Master Aqua. Master Riku. Master Kairi..."

Kairi's heart skipped a beat. Just like that...he gave her the title? She proved herself to him? She wanted to ask, but she chose to simply let him finish first.

"...Master Mickey. Lea, Ventus, and Roxas..." Yen Sid opened his eyes.

"...I am fully aware that three of you are not masters yet. But there was simply not enough time to give the Mark of Mastery exam for three people."

"...However. Your actions within those worlds have proven to me that you are worthy. Unlike my previous mistake with choosing to withhold Kairi's title, when she was well within her right to earn it...I shall name you honorary masters for showing exceptional skill. But that is not all there is to it. Compassion, kindness, working together, displaying courage within the heat of battle, and helping those in need...these are what make a true keyblade master, and that is what you three have shown me. When you return from the battle...you may take the actual exam to make your titles more legitimate."

Lea and Roxas fist bumped each other, then Lea gave Roxas a light noogie. Donald and Goofy rushed over and tackled the pair in a friendly embrace. Aqua hugged Ventus tightly.

"Ven...I'm so proud of you."

Ventus blushed from the compliment. He hugged her back.

"...I wish Terra was here to see this..." Ventus looked down at the ground.

Aqua released him and put her hands on his shoulders.

"...He will be. We'll get him back. I promise."

Ventus teared up a little. He sniffed and nodded, rubbing his eyes.

"...I'm ready. Let's go and finish this."

\--------

_Really, S a? I thought you were stronger than that._

_G t real! Look at which one of us is win i g-_

_boy looks so sincere, just like T a. And one? He's the spitting image of-_

_\- may never meet again...but we'll always rem b r-_

_-Our ship runs o n h y f a c s!_

_...Would y u mind...if I stayed here f r-_

_S a , you lazy bum!_

_I kn w I'd f d y snoozi g here._

_...It's my lucky charm. Be sure to bring it back to me._

Sora opened his eyes. He cracked his fingers amd his neck, still adjusting to his new suit of armor. He looked down with disdain as several portals of light appeared below the canyon. Seven wielders of light stepped out through them, scanning the area suspiciously. He smirked when they all looked up. He took a few steps back as Xehanort walked past him, standing in front of all his organization members. The old man raised his hands up into the air.

"...At long last...the time has finally come!" Xehanort smiled malevolently.

"After decades of meticulous planning...my efforts have finally come to fruition. 13 darknesses, challenging 7 lights...the anticipation is palpable."

"...Everyone. Put on your armors." Aqua pressed the device on her arm. The others did the same.

The separate groups were at a standoff, waiting to see who would react first. The wind picked up a little. Both Sora and Roxas took a step forward. Roxas burst into a sprint, while Sora leaped off the canyon. Vanitas, no longer caring about showing his face, joined him as well. Ventus chased after Roxas. They both stopped once the other two hit the ground.

Vanitas chuckled. **_"This is hilarious. Mirror reflections fighting against their other halves? It's almost poetic."_**

 **"Just shut up already."** Sora got into a fighting stance.

_**"Alright, sheesh. So aggressive."** _

Sora growled and charged at Roxas first. Unlike before, Roxas was ready for something like this. Roxas blocked multiple rapid strikes from Sora, then kicked him back. Sora grunted and rammed into Ventus and Roxas with his arms alone. Neither of them saw that coming. They fell to the ground and watched as he took his helmet off. He tossed it on the ground and aimed his weapon at Ventus' face. There was a manic gleam in his eyes.

**"Look, Ven! I've got armor like you too! DO YOU LIKE IT?!"**

Vanitas shoved Sora out of the way. **_"You idiot! Deal with yours!!!"_**

Sora scowled and went back to fighting Roxas. Vanitas leaped into the air and shot down towards Ventus, who somersaulted out of the way. He hit Vanitas in the chest with some fire magic, but the boy obviously shrugged it off.

_**"You fight me with a little heat? Weak."** _

Ventus smirked.

"...You should pay more attention to you surroundings."

Vanitas cried out when a barrage of flames erupted from the ground, striking him multiple times.

"You can thank Aqua and Lea for that neat trick." Ventus spun his keyblade around. Vanitas gritted his teeth.

**_"Gladly. I'll choke the life out of them when I'm through with you."_ **

Meanwhile, Aqua had teamed up with Mickey and Lea to take on Braig, Isa, and Xemnas.

 _"Burn, baby!"_ Lea manifested a circle of flames around them with a smug grin on his face. Isa grimaced and charged at him.

"You're too confident. That will be your undoing." Isa swung forward, his large keyblade clashing against Lea's.

"Actually, I think it's my confidence that's gotten me through some pretty rough spots!"

 _"...You insufferable pest!!!"_ Isa automatically went into berserk mode. Lea raised an eyebrow.

"Jeez. Such a drama queen. But you know what they say..." Lea's keyblade started to heat up. smoke rising from the tip.

_"You gotta fight fire with fire!"_

Braig was firing bullets out of his spare gun, since he needed the other one to hold his keyblade. Mickey continued to jump up in spirals and deflect every shot aimed towards him or his friends.

"Hold still, you stupid mouse!!!" Braig shouted. This tiny king was pissing him off. He couldn't land a single hit if the rodent kept flying around like a trapeze artist.

Aqua pushed back at Xemnas' glowing blades. She winced as some of the sparks flew into her face. She cartwheeled away as Xemnas started to teleport, attempting to strike her while her guard was down.

 _"Gather!"_ Aqua casted gravity magic to bring him in closer. It worked for second, before he dispelled the magic by destroying the ball of energy that tried drawing him in. Aqua yelled as he slashed at her arm. The lazer went through her armor, leaving a small cut and a burn on her skin. She ignored the pain as she casted her barrier magic, letting the recoil strike him in several places at once.

Kairi and Riku went for Xehanort and his young counterpart. They gasped as Xehanort rose the ground underneath them.

"A Princess of Heart and a Master with questionable ties to the darkness...this should be interesting." Xehanort rubbed his chin.

Young Xehanort attacked them first, making his keyblade grow in size as it struck them both. Riku formed a dark barrier around himself and Kairi before he could do it again. Kairi let out a battle cry as she swung her keyblade at the young boy like a baseball bat. Young Xehanort blocked it and kicked her to the ground.

"Thunder!" A blast of lighting shot directly through Young Xehanort. He didn't scream, but he appeared to be in a bit of pain after the attack. Xehanort threw a ball of darkness at her, which Riku smacked away.

"You're not touching her!" Riku gripped his keyblade. Xehanort cackled.

"That is not for you to decide, boy! This is my time, not yours."

Xehanort sneered. "Now, this looks familiar...a boy with darkness in his heart, challenging me to protect his friends...perhaps I should show you a bit of mercy and allow you to bear my heart like the rest!"

"You already did that once, and I won. You won't win again!" Riku charged at Xehanort, who simply shook his head. Such a foolish boy. He was far too much like Terra.

"...Hmph. We shall see where that reckless bravery leads you." Xehanort summoned his keyblade with a foreboding grin on his face.

The fighting continued for what felt like hours, maybe even days. After a while, a faint light began to form in the sky. Aqua looked up in fear, suddenly petrified as she caught a glimpse of blue light.

"No...not again...!"

"Aqua!"

She snapped back into reality and blocked Xemnas' attack. She saw Ventus past the wall of flames, struggling against Vanitas.

"Stay strong! We've gotta keep going, no matter what happens!" Ventus pushed Vanitas back a few feet. A bit of relief flooded into her heart, and she went back to focusing on her fight.

Isa and Lea were both breathing heavily as they faced each other. Lea aimed his keyblade at Isa.

"Looks like...you still haven't lost your touch...!"

"I have my hatred for you to thank for that..." Isa scowled.

Lea felt his heart twist. Isa smirked from the look on his face.

"...You remember very well. You let this happen. You let them do this to me. _You didn't even move a muscle."_

Lea blinked. He thought he heard Isa's voice...shaking? Could he still show some emotion...?

_"You're a traitor. So you...and all your friends...WILL PAY THE PRICE!"_

Isa screamed at the top of his lungs. A wave of dark energy sent Lea flying back, along with Aqua and Mickey. Lea's circle of flames dissipated. Spent of all his energy, Isa collapsed. Braig and Xemnas scoffed, surprised that the wielders of light went down so easily. Ventus looked over in terror.

"Aqua!!!" He tried running towards her, but he was blocked by Vanitas.

**_"Not so fast, loser. You still owe me a fair fight."_ **

"Get out of my way!!!" Ventus swung at Vanitas, but he vanished into the ground. He grabbed Ventus by the legs and pulled him down, slamming Ventus' face into the dirt. Ventus struggled to get back up, but Vanitas pinned him down with his foot against his back.

Braig and Xemnas approached the three keyblade weilders. Braig aimed his gun at both Mickey and Lea, while Xemnas raised his blade over Aqua's chest.

"STOP!!! STOP IT!!! PLEASE!!!" Ventus cried out. His voice rang in deaf ears. His heart stopped as Xemnas' blade went downwards.

The blade was suddenly knocked out of his hands. Something large rammed into him. Aqua woke up quickly, springing back into action as she chained Braig and Xemnas together with her magic. Once she was finished, she turned to see who had intervened. Both Ventus and Aqua gaped at the figure that stood before them.

"...Terra?"

The suit of armor rested his keyblade on his shoulder. He looked in between them, feeling something in him stir that he hadn't felt in a long time.

_'....No. Just a Lingering Will.'_

\-----------

Riku and Kairi faced the two Xehanorts, breathing heavily. They seem exhausted as well. After a few minutes, Riku decided to rush them again. Kairi reached out to stop him but she was too late.

Just as he swung forward, he froze. Sora had appeared in front of Xehanort. Riku slowly retracted his weapon, which was inches away from the side of Sora's face.

"I see that you finally realize what is at stake here." Xehanort smiled. He put his hand on Sora's shoulder and leaned towards his ear.

_**"...Kill them."** _ ********

********

Sora teleported. He moved at lightning speed as he approached the duo. Kairi got in front of Riku and blocked the first attack with barrier magic. She swung down at Sora's legs, knocking him over for a split second before he teleported again.

Riku and Kairi worked together to deflect Sora's attacks, getting a few hits in as well. Kairi cried out when Sora came at her from behind and slashed at her back, but she kept standing firmly. Riku slammed the hilt of his blade into Sora's back in retaliation, but he made sure that the hit wasn't too effective. Sora backflipped away from them. They watched in shock as Sora summoned a second keyblade in his other hand.

"Two?!" They both exclaimed.

 **"COWARDS!!!"** Sora screamed, going into a bit of hysteria. **"STOP HOLDING BACK BECAUSE IT'S ME!!!"**

Sora teleported again, this time above Riku and Kairi. He shot down towards them, and they both blocked the attack. They struggled to continue resisting as Sora's strength seemed to grow. They could see the murderous intent in his eyes. He started to froth out the mouth as his weapons drew closer to them.

Kairi couldn't stand to see the manic gleam in his eyes. She could tell that, mentally, he was starting to fall apart. She had to do something. _Anything_ to get him out of his delusional state.

Then it struck her. The one ability that only she and Riku could do. The last resort. She looked over at Riku with a pleading expression, hoping that he would understand the message she was trying to convey. He seemed to be thinking the exact same thing. They both nodded. They pushed Sora back one more time, then aimed their weapons at his chest. He lunged towards them.

_"Dive."_

Two beams of light shot out of their keyblades, striking Sora almost instantly. The pair closed their eyes as the light enveloped them, and they went into Sora's heart.

\----------

...Falling.

Memories flew past them. Some clear, some distorted by darkness.

...Falling. Falling into a sleepless dream.

Riku and Kairi landed gently on a floor made of stained glass. There were cracks all over it, and holes from pieces that were lost to darkness. Sora's image was barely visible, covered by a veil of shadows.

They both gasped as the floor beneath them suddenly became a pool of black sludge. Riku could smell something. Kairi could sense its dark power. They raised their weapons, sweating as their hearts starting to beat rapidly.

They jumped back as a pair of black, twisted claws erurpted from the center of the glass. They covered their ears as it clawed against the glass to pull itself out. Once the screeching stopped, they watched a familiar future pull himself out of the puddle. He was crouching, his body completely engulfed by darkness. All that was visible was two glowing yellow eyes. Kairi started to tear up from inside her helmet.

"...Sora?"

He let out an unearthly shriek in response to her voice. He slithered towards them faster than they could register. Riku managed to block the first strike, but he was already on one knee when he did.

"...How...can he be that strong???" Riku couldn't comprehend it. It didn't make sense.

"I don't know!" Kairi said in alarm. She yelped as Sora came out of the ground in front of her and rammed his fist into her abdomen. She skidded across the floor and almost tipped over the edge.

"Kairi!" Riku ran towards her. She sat back up and back away from the edge slightly, then turned to Riku. She gasped.

"BEHIND YOU!!!"

Riku's eyes went dull. He didn't have time to react as Sora raked his claws into his back, breaking straight through the armor. Riku collasped. Kairi started to scream.

She was cut off as Sora manifested in front of her. He gripped her tightly by the neck, raising her up into the air. He used his other hand to crush her helmet and rip it off of her hear. Kairi choked, gasping for air as her legs flailed uselessly. Riku slowly rose his head, his vision blurring but feeling fear all the same as he witnessed the horrifying display of power.

"So....ra....." Kairi shakily reached out to the side of his face. He flinched as she touched his cheek.

"...It's....ok. It's not...your fault....." Kairi smiled weakly.

"...I....for...give....you...."

Kairi blacked out. Everything started to fade away. Sora suddenly dropped her onto the ground. His head twitched as he stared at her. Sora looked down at his claws.

...He suddenly felt wrong. Horribly wrong. He'd done something unspeakable. What was this feeling?

....Regret.

Sora crouched down closer to her pale face. He nudged her with his head. She didn't move.

...No. No no no. She wasn't supposed to be like that. She wasn't supposed to die! What was he thinking?! Why had he done this?!?

....No. He hadn't been thinking.

....He was....blindly following orders. This entire time....he never thought for himself.

He cautiously reached out and pulled her close. He cradled her limp body for a while, not knowing what to do. Sora blinked when he picked up on the faint sound of breathing. He looked down and saw her chest rising and falling.

He felt something spark in his dead heart, which stirred for what felt like the first time in years. His dark form cracked and shattered.

...Relief.

\---------

Xehanort started to laugh maniacally as a massive beam of light shot up into the sky, where Sora was standing. Riku and Kairi were ejected from his body, both unconscious and wounded. Aqua looked up and saw the unmistakable light. Ventus and the Lingering Will stood beside her.

Ventus frowned. "...The X-Blade."

The three of them heard Vanitas laugh. He was lying on the ground, incapable of moving from his complete and utter defeat. The three friends had succeeded in taking him down, along with Braig and Xemnas. Roxas, Lea, and Mickey had vanquished the remaining Organization members as well.

Vanitas slammed his fist on the ground. **_"I really was just brought back out of pity. What a joke. Now my body is about to perish again as that moron completes his purpose...."_**

**_"...I hate this. So much. I just want...to be whole again..."_ **

Ventus closed his eyes. He started walking towards Vanitas. Aqua took a few steps forward, but the armor took her hand. He shook his head at her. Aqua nodded at the armor, but still was deeply concerned for her friend.

"Ven..."

Ventus stopped in front of Vanitas. He opened his eyes and extended his hand to the other boy, getting down on one knee. Vanitas' eyes widened.

"...I'm not doing you any favors...but I want to be whole too."

Vanitas looked up at Ventus with contempt.

**_"...No takebacks. If you do this...the darkness will be a part of you forever. Do you really want that?"_ **

Ventus nodded without hesitation.

"...I'm through running.

Vanitas smirked, taking Ventus' hand.

**_"...So am I._ **

Ventus stumbled backwards and doubled over as Vanitas turned into darkness, flowing into his body. He clutched his chest tightly.

"Ven!" Aqua ran over to him. He was still bent over as Aqua touched his back.

"... **J** e **e** z... **...."**

Aqua backed away as Ventus rose up. He rubbed his eyes and looked over at her. They were still blue, but she could see a faint circle of gold surrounding his pupil.

"...I forgot how freaky that felt."

Aqua let out a sigh of relief. She ruffled his hair.

_Crack._

Aqua and Ventus turned their heads. Their mouths opened slightly in horror.

"TERRA!!!"

Xemnas had driven his blades straight through the armor's chest from behind. Xemnas gave them a smug smile.

His smile faded when the armor grabbed the blades and pulled them out. He aimed his keyblade back at Xemnas.

_'It'll take more than that to stop me. GIVE BACK WHAT YOU'VE STOLEN.'_

_"...Empty shell with the mind of a recusant...WHY DO YOU STILL STRUGGLE?!"_ Xemnas' blades crackled with negative energy. 

Xemnas and the Lingering Will began fighting each other. Pieces of the armor fell as Xemnas landed a few hits, but the armor refused to relent. Aqua covered her mouth as they both continued to batter each other down. She soon decided to intervene and ran towards them.

"Aqua! Wait!" Ventus shouted. She didn't listen as she tackled Xemnas and punched him. Xemnas grabbed her face and sent her flying back, but it gave the Lingering Will a chance to grab Xemnas from behind as he stood back up.

Ventus helped Aqua get up from the ground. They both winced as they saw the two struggling. The Lingering Will looked at her.

_'...Aqua. Use your keyblade on us at the same time.'_

"I WILL ALLOW NO SUCH THING!" Xemnas grunted as the armor squeezed his arms.

_'If Xehanort could split me apart, you can put me back together. You have the ability as a master. I know you do.'_

Aqua looked down at her keyblade. She pressed her fingers against it.

"...But...what if I mess up? What if I..." Aqua shut her eyes tightly.

_'...Look at me.'_

Aqua opened her eyes and stared at the armor. A tear fell from her eye.

_'Just do it. Do it for Ven. For yourself. For me.'_

_'...I trust you.'_

Aqua squeezed the handle. She aimed it at the two of them. She turned her head as a blast of light came out of her keyblade, surrounded by chains of light. It went straight through them, and Xemnas yelled in agony. The chains shattered, and they both collapsed. The Lingering Will started to glow as he shakily raised his hand towards Aqua and Ventus. He disintegrated, turning into speckles of light that went into Xemnas' unconscious body.

Aqua and Ventus ran towards him. They fell to their knees and started shaking him.

"Terra! Terra! Wake up!" Ventus cried.

Aqua put her ear on his chest. Her blood ran cold.

....His heart wasn't beating.

"No! Come on!" Aqua started to do chest compressions in an attempt to revive his heart. He didn't react for a long time, and Aqua started to fear the worst.

Aqua and Ventus jumped when they heard him start coughing. His eyes opened just a crack. They were dull, but they were _blue._ Aqua started sobbing. She picked him up and embraced him along with Ventus.

"...You never cease to impress, _Master Aqua."_

Aqua and Ventus looked up. They hugged Terra tightly at the sight of Xehanort, who sneered at them. Sora and Young Xehanort were on either side of him, along with Kairi and Riku on the ground. Ventus tensed up when he saw the X-Blade in Sora's hand. Sora didn't seem to be paying attention to anything as he stared off into the distance. Mickey, Lea, and Roxas rushed to the trio's side, glaring at Xehanort defiantly.

Xehanort pointed at the group with a wicked sneer. He clenched his other hand.

"Destroy them, Sora. Unlock Kingdom Hearts for your master! Fulfill your purpose! Fulfill your destiny!"

_"No!"_

Xehanort grimaced. He glowered at the small girl who had somehow woken up from such a rough beating. Riku seemed to be stirring as well. Kairi gulped, her throat aching a little as she did so.

"Don't listen to him, Sora! You can choose your own destiny! A better one!"

Riku pushed himself up, wincing. Everything ached, but it didn't stop him from wanting to say something.

"...You're....so much more than just a puppet! This is _your_ life, not his!"

A faint light flickered in Sora's blank stare. Young Xehanort grabbed Kairi by the hair and lifted her up. He raised his keyblade to her neck before the other keyblade weilders could rush him.

"Do it, Sora. Or they will all perish by our hands instead."

"Don't worry about us, Sora! I want you to be free!" Kairi elbowed Young Xehanort in the chest, making him release her. Riku finally regained enough energy to summon his keyblade. He smacked Young Xehanort in the same spot and picked up Kairi, running back to their friends.

Sora's fingers twitched.

"You cannot resist the darkness anymore! It is a part of you. You crave for it." Xehanort sneered

"...Their words are empty. MEANINGLESS. Where were they when you needed them most?!"

Sora slowly craned his head to Xehanort with a serious expression.

**"...YOU WERE THE ONE WHO HURT ME IN THE FIRST PLACE."**

Sora turned to Xehanort and started walking towards him with fury in his eyes. The old man started to back away while his younger self pulled out a glowing blue rope.

"Sora, I demand that you stop this instant! I'll crush your heart for such insubordination!!!"

**"No you won't. You want the X-Blade. If you kill me, you destroy it as well."**

Xehanort scoffed. "...It's a good thing you're still one of my vessels, then."

Young Xehanort wrapped the rope around Sora. Kairi cried out to him, but they kept the group away with a small barrier to keep them from interfering. Sora yelled as a horrible ringing made his head throb. It felt like he was being blighted all over again. Sora's heart felt like it was going to come out of his chest. His cries eventually turned to delirious cackling. Sora was terrified, fearing that he would lose his grip on reality again. No. He didn't want to change. He didn't want to change....!

_"What?!"_

Xehanort and his younger self gawked as the barrier dissipated in one fell swoop. Ventus was the cause, and his keyblade had changed. It shared a few designs from both Vanitas and his own. The chain on the end was a heart like Ventus', but now with an X in the center. Xehanort grunted, realizing that the design as a whole was mocking the X-Blade itself. A symbol of their final rebellious act.

Sora shut his eyes tightly, silently begging for the pain to end. He suddenly heard a _snap,_ and the rope around him slipped off. He felt a hand touch his. He opened his eyes a little to see Kairi smiling at him, holding the handle with him. Riku reached out and grabbed the handle with them as well. The rest of them reached out a grabbed the sides of the X-Blade as well, even Terra who was just barely aware but was gripping his side of it tightly. Aqua and Ventus were keeping him propped up with their arms under his. Sora felt tears streaming from his eyes. They were no longer black.

The two Xehanorts yelled, teaming up by pressing their keyblades together. Their weapons crackled, and a blast of darkness came surging out of their blades. Sora bared his teeth.

_"You want the X-Blade so badly?!?"_

The group aimed it directly at the two Xehanorts. They all took a deep breath.

_"YOU CAN HAVE IT!!!"_

A massive beam of pure energy, composed of dark and light, tore straight through the wave of darkness and struck the Xehanorts directly. They screamed as the power overwhelmed them and obliterated them completely. The X-Blade exploded into thousands of pieces, blinding them all with its ethereal light. Sora smiled weakly as everything faded into black.

\----------

Epilogue.

_Ven gave me this journal so I could record my thoughts onto it. He's very sweet...but do I really need this?_

_...It is a little soothing to see the ink flow onto the paper. Frankly, I'm just glad it's not paperwork or something like the ones Yen Sid tells me to fill out. He says I have to since 'I'm the second oldest master here'. Terra would be too, if Master Eraqus had just passed him...._

_...Oh. Terra._

_He's doing much better. But sometimes he just stares off at nothing, no matter what I say to snap him out of it. It scares me, but these bouts of silence are becoming fewer and farther in between. He makes an even greater effort if me and Ven are around, which is endearing. Got to remember to focus on positives._

_...Sora, on the other hand...is on the complete opposite side of the spectrum. When he first came to after the fight, he didn't even recognize us and went hysterical. Riku and Kairi were able to calm him down, but he's still consistently anxious. He often goes to them to talk about it, but he has come to me a few times. He reminds me so much of Ven. Upbeat and full of energy, at least when he isn't drowsy. He told me he never slept when he was possessed by Xehanort. No wonder..._

_...I hope he likes chocolate. I'm baking him a cake for his birthday. Terra too. I'll be sure to add multiple scoops of ice cream for both._

_Ven and Roxas have been hitting it off as friends very easily. Probably from all that bonding on their first mission together. They even warmed up to Sora. They act like the weirdest trio of brothers. The boys love to go exploring and pull pranks with Lea, especially if Ven and Roxas swap clothes then try to pretend being the other. I can see right through them. It's cute when they think they've fooled me._

_The only thing that really throws me for a loop is when it's not Ven...but Vanitas clearly pulling the pranks instead with the other boys. It's rare...but sometimes he's just more there. Ven prefers physical comedy when he's like this. Banana peels and throwing pies at people's faces. That's one kind of a healthy outlet, I guess. Ven succeeded more than once with me this way. I'll give him that much, although he's techinally cheating._

_...He's....actually not all that terrible, from what I can tell with his...semi-presence. He's still a bad influence. I'll leave it at that._

_I hope that I'm still doing well...as a master and a friend. I wonder if the others feel the sa-_

"Aqua!"

She closed her journal quickly and noticed Kairi.

"...Hi, Kairi. Is something wrong?"

Kairi grabbed Aqua's arm and pulled her up from her seat. She started taking her down the stairs.

"I want you to meet someone."

"Oh?" Aqua tilted her head as they finally reached the bottom floor.

Their friends were chatting with a small blonde girl in a white dress, who seemed a bit nervous and reserved. She ducked her head shyly behind a notebook when she noticed Aqua enter the room. Aqua gave her a tiny smile and approached non-threateningly. She dropped to one knee once she was close enough to the girl, giving her some distance. The girl poked her eyes out from behind the notebook.

Aqua smiled brightly. "Hello. My name is Aqua. Are you a friend of Kairi's?"

The girl nodded sheepishly.

"...Yes."

"What's your name?" Aqua asked politely. "...Just take your time. There's no rush."

The girl lowered her notebook, squeezing the edges. Aqua noticed several sketches of all of them holding hands, including herself. She was a bit surprised, considering that they'd never met...but she chose not to pry.

The girl smiled faintly, appreciating the older girl's consideration for her...feelings? Yes. Her feelings. She put her hands together.

"...My name is Naminé. It's nice to meet you."

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for joining me on this little adventure.
> 
> ...Stay tuned for a bit more fluff.


End file.
